Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
696. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has any plans to disregard carer's allowance from the means test for the back-to-school allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36113/23]
View answerThe 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. In 2022, payments totaling €85.9m issued to 154,000 families in respect of more than 273,000 qualified children.
In order to qualify for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, an applicant must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions, one of which requires the applicant’s household income to be within the relevant income limits. Carer’s Allowance is included in the assessment of household income for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
There are no current plans to change the eligibility criteria for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance. Any proposed changes to the means testing of the scheme would have to be considered in a wider budgetary context and within the scope of the overall resources available for welfare improvements.
Applications which fall outside the normal rules of the scheme may be considered for an Additional Needs Payment under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme by the Community Welfare Service.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local Community Welfare Service. There is a National Community Welfare Service Contact Centre in place – 0818-607080 – which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
