LATEST: Over 5,000 Kildare families to get Back To School Allowance this week

Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced that over 131,000 families will receive the enhanced Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance from today.  

The payment from the Department of Social Protection is designed to support eligible families with the cost of school uniforms and footwear ahead of the upcoming school term.

Minister Humphreys has increased the rates of payment this year by €100 per child to reflect the ongoing cost of living pressures facing families.

This means that €260 will be paid in respect of children aged 4-11 years old.

And €385 will be paid in respect of children aged 12 years and over in second level education.

Overall, payments totalling over €72 million will be made automatically to over 131,000 families, in respect of over 231,000 children, from today.  A notification of the automated payment is sent to customers by post or through their MyWelfare account.

The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance remains open for applications until September 30th and eligible families are being encouraged to apply. Decisions on these cases will be processed manually and if entitled payment will issue once they are processed.

Minister Humphreys announced the beginning of the payments during a visit to the family-run Lennon & Sons Drapery in Cootehill, County Cavan.

Speaking during the visit, Minister Humphreys said:

“I’m pleased to announce that from today, the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance will be paid to over 131,000 families right across the State.

“This payment has been increased by €100 per child this year in recognition of the ongoing cost of living pressures that families face.

“The Scheme itself is extremely important in terms of easing that financial burden associated with the purchase of uniforms and shoes ahead of the new school term.

“The payments will be received in people’s bank accounts from today.

“However, any family that has not yet applied has plenty of time to do so as applications remain open until September 30th.”

Minister Humphreys continued:

“As a Government we are deeply conscious of the need to continue to support families with the Cost of Living.

“That’s why last month, I announced an extra €100 per every child in receipt of Child Benefit.

“Minister Norma Foley is spearheading the free school books scheme, which kicks in for primary schools from September.

“And I’m delighted as well to be able to continue the expansion of the Hot School Meals Programme.

“The expansion of the programme to all DEIS primary schools and special schools will mean by the end of this year, 1,000 schools will have access to hot school meal funding.

“And from 2024, we will start the roll-out of Hot Meals to all remaining primary schools.”

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance

 The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance provides a once-off payment to eligible families towards the cost of school clothing and footwear.

The allowance paid for each eligible child aged 4 - 11 years on or before 30th September 2023 is €260 while an allowance of €385 is paid for each eligible child aged 12 - 22 years on or before 30th September 2023. Students aged between 18 - 22 years must be returning to full-time second-level education in a recognised school or college in the autumn of 2023 to retain an entitlement to payment.

The Department is providing dedicated phone lines 071-9193318 and 0818-11-11-13 to answer enquiries relating to the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance during usual business hours Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm. People also have the choice of emailing the Department at bscfa@welfare.ie if they have an enquiry regarding their application or entitlement.

The closing date to apply for this year’s Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is 30th September 2023.

Further information on the eligibility criteria for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is available at www.gov.ie/bscfa.