The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year.
The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid and eligible children between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid.
To qualify for the allowance a person must meet a number of conditions namely:
- The child must meet the age criteria.
- The applicant must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and getting an increase in that payment for the qualified child (except in certain circumstances) in the period 1 June to 30 September.
- The assessable income for the household must be within prescribed limits.
- The applicant and the child (or children) in respect of whom the allowance is claimed must be resident in the State.
Children who are in receipt of social protection payments in their own right, for example Disability Allowance, will not meet the qualifying criteria for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance payment.
Applications which fall outside the normal rules of the scheme may be considered for an additional needs payments under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme by the Community Welfare Service (CWS).
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment under the is encouraged to contact their local Community Welfare Service. There is a National CWS Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
