Department of Social and Family Affairs

Qualifying conditions for our schemes change from time to time. Always check with your local Social Welfare Office or contact our Information Services at (01) 704 3000 to see if qualifying conditions have changed.

1. What is the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance?

The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance helps towards the cost of uniforms and footwear for school children. The Scheme operates from 1st June to 30th September each year.

The Scheme, offers help to school-going children for whom a qualified child increase is payable and is run by the local office of the Health Service Executive (HSE) as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) Scheme.

The Allowance is not paid in respect of foster children.

Your local office of the Health Service Executive (HSE) will decide if you qualify for this payment.

2. How can I qualify?

You may qualify if you are:

getting a Social Welfare payment (including Family Income Supplement) or a Health Service Executive (HSE) payment

or
taking part in one of the following approved employment schemes or training courses and satisfy the other conditions - see below

- Back to Work Allowance (Employees) (BTWA),
- Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA),
- Community Employment,
- Revenue Job Assist,
- Community Services Programme (formerly Social Economy Programme (Grant Aided Employees)),
- Job Initiative,
- Workplace,
- Youthreach,
- Back to Education Allowance,
- Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS),
- Area Partnership Scheme,
- FÁS, Fáilte Ireland or LES training scheme or Rural Social Scheme.

and
getting a Qualified Child Increase with your social welfare payment.

and
your household income is within the limits in either of the tables below.

Household income includes:

- your main social welfare or Health Service Executive payment,

- income of any qualified children on Youthreach, and

- other income including earnings before tax, but excluding PRSI and reasonable travelling expenses

Couple with:	Income limit
1 child	€470.80
2 children	€492.80
3 children	€514.80
4 children	€536.80*
* Limit is increased by €22.00 for each additional child.

Lone parent with:	Income limit
1 child	€331.30
2 children	€353.30
3 children	€375.30
4 children	€397.30**
**Limit is increased by €22.00 for each additional child.

For the purposes of this scheme, we ignore income from Rent or Mortgage Interest Supplement, Family Income Supplement, Blind Welfare Allowance, home help, Domiciliary Care Allowance and Mobility Allowance. We also ignore any income from rehabilitative employment or training - up to €120 per week.

Special conditions

If you were entitled to the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance while getting a social welfare or Health Service Executive payment before starting one of the employment schemes listed above, you may still be able to get the allowance as long as your gross household income is €317.43 a week or less and you continue to satisfy the conditions of the scheme. We do not take into account income from BTWA, or BTWEA for the purpose of the €317.43 weekly income limit.

If you do not qualify for the allowance under the conditions outlined above, you can apply for it in the usual way and will be subject to the income limits see above for details.

Back to Education Allowance or VTOS

If you are getting Back to Education Allowance or taking part in VTOS, you can still get Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance , or if you now have a qualified child, apply for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, subject to the income limits details above.

3. How much is the allowance?

The allowance is:

€180 for each eligible child aged 2-11 on or before 30th September 2007
€285 for each eligible child aged 12-22 on or before 30th September 2007

4. How do I get my payment?

You normally get your payment by cheque.

5. How do I apply?

You should apply to the Community Welfare Officer (CWO) at your local office of the Health Service Executive.

6. What can I do if I am unhappy with the decision on my application?

If you are unhappy with the decision on your application, write to your local office of the Health Service Executive explaining why you are not happy with the decision.

7. Where can I get more information?

For more information on the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, contact the Community Welfare Officer at your local office of the Health Service Executive.

You can also get information on Social Welfare Services on the Internet at www.welfare.ie.

Information booklets and application forms are also available.

from your local Social Welfare Office
or
on the Internet at www.welfare.ie
or
by telephoning the Department's LoCall Leaflet Request Line at 1890 20 23 25.

You can get independent information on rights and entitlements to all social services from your local Citizens Information Centre.

The service is free, confidential and independent.

Citizen information is available from over 250 locations nationwide. The contact details and opening hours of your nearest Citizens Information Centre are listed in the Golden Pages. Alternatively, log on to www.citizensinformation.ie or LoCall Citizens Information Phone Service on 1890 777 121 or

The Citizens Information Board, is the statutory body which supports the provision of information, advice and advocacy to the public on the broad range of social and civil services. It provides the Citizens Information website and supports the voluntary network of Citizens Information Services and the Citizens Information Phone Service.

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Page Last Updated: 13 ^th June 2007

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Social Welfare Information

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance

Department of Social and Family Affairs

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Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance - SW 75

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