Minister Doherty reminds families to apply for Back to School Allowance

Minister Doherty wants to remind families to get their application for Back to School Allowance in.

The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty, T.D., today confirmed that over 130,000 families have received the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance payment in respect of 239,230 children since July when this year’s scheme commenced. The Minister also urged families with school-going children, who have not yet applied, to check out their entitlement to this scheme as they may qualify for a payment, depending on their financial circumstances. The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a nationwide Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection scheme that provides a once-off payment to eligible families towards the cost of school clothing and footwear. As provided for in Budget 2019, the payment has been increased by €25 this year for each qualifying child. Minister Doherty said;

“This can be a particularly stressful time of year for many families. The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance provides valuable support to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn and this year we are providing for an additional €25 payment per child. I would urge anybody who has not yet applied to check their eligibility for the scheme which provides a once-off payment to assist with the costs of school clothing and footwear.”

An allowance of €150 is paid for each eligible child who is aged 4 - 11 on or before 30 September 2019 while an allowance of €275 is paid for each eligible child aged 12 - 22 on or before 30 September 2019. Children aged between 18 and 22 years must be returning to full-time second-level education in a recognised school or college in the autumn of 2019. Families who have not received notification from the Department of an automated payment will need to make an application. Application forms are available at all Intreo Centres, on the Department’s website www.welfare .ie, via SMS (text Form BTSCFA followed by customer’s name and address to 51909) or by sending an email to BSCFA@welfare.ie. This year, people can also apply online via the Department’s website. The closing date for receipt of applications for this year’s Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is 30 September 2019.