Seán Sherlock
Question:608. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the dates that back-to-school clothing and footwear allowances will be paid. [37309/22]
View answerTuesday, 12 July 2022
Questions (608)
Written answers
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 the end of 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.
This year, the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance payment has been increased by €100 for the 2022 scheme year, building on the previously announced increase of €10. The rates of payment for the 2022 scheme year are €260 for children aged between 4 and 11 years and €385 for children aged 12 and over.
To date, 123,500 families in respect of 219,000 children have been awarded the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and these families will receive their payment as outlined in their award notification this week, i.e. week beginning 11 July. The additional €100 payment will issue to these families during the week commencing 18 July.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme opened to new applications on www.mywelfare.ie on 20 June. In the first 5 days of the scheme opening, over 10,500 applications were received. Officers are processing these applications as efficiently as possible and once the application is awarded, the payment will issue to the customer within the next 3 working days.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Question No. 609 answered with Question No. 588.