Thousands of Irish parents can now apply for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, with applications open from today.
With the cost of living continuing to soar, the scheme from the Department of Social Protection provides welcome help of up to €285 per child to help hard pressed parents pay for school uniforms and footwear.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance provides a once-off payment to eligible families and will be paid automatically to many families from 13 July.
Read more: Social welfare Ireland: How to apply for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
Here's all you need to know about the payment for this year and who is eligible to get it:
The rates of payment for each child have been increased this year by €10 to €160 for children aged 4 - 11, and to €285 for children aged 12 years and over in second-level education in Ireland.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian families who have moved to Ireland due to the war will also benefit from the scheme.
You may qualify for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance if you are:
- Getting a social welfare payment (including Working Family Payment and Back to Work Family Dividend or a Health Service Executive payment, or
- Taking part in an approved employment scheme (back-to-work scheme) or
- Taking part in a recognised education or training course, or
- Getting a Daily Expenses Allowance for a child in education (or for yourself if you are 18–22 and returning to full-time second-level education), or
- Involved in an Area Partnership Scheme, or
- Attending a FET (formerly Fás) training course
Your child must be aged between 4-17 on 30 September to qualify for the payment.
Read more: Social welfare Ireland: Payments will be bumped up in October, says Tanaiste Leo Varadkar
If they are aged between 18 and 22, they must be returning to full-time second-level education in a recognised school or college in the autumn of the year parents are applying.
Foster children are not eligible for the BTSCFA because the financial support parents get from Tusla includes help with the cost of clothing and footwear.
Speaking about the opening of the scheme today, Minister Humphreys said: “I am delighted to announce that the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance for 2022 is now open for applications.
“I am delighted to secure over €58 million for the scheme this year - recognising the pressures that families with school-going children are under at this time of year.
“As part of a number of targeted measures in Budget 2022, I am increasing the rates of payment this year.
“I’ve also widened the eligibility for lone parents by increasing the income limits for single-parent families to match those of two-parent families."
According to Minister Humphreys, her department is expecting to process and issue automatic payments to some 120,000 families in July.
For more information and to apply visit contact your local Intreo Office or visit MyWelfare.ie.
READ Next:
- Irish girl dies in hospital days after hotel swimming pool accident in Spain
- Man 'punched eight or nine times' during bloody morning assault by cyclist
- Baby's name added to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings memorial
- Tributes flow as Dublin man killed in Canada hit-and-run named
- New Central Mental Hospital opening delayed again due to staffing 'issues'
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox
