Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BSCFA):
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a one off, means-tested payment aimed at helping families with the extra costs when children start school each autumn.
- The back to school allowance for each eligible child aged 4-11 on or before 30 September 2020 is €150
- The allowance for each eligible child aged 12-22 on or before 30 September 2020 is €275.
- (Children aged between 18 and 22 years must be in full-time second-level education in a recognised school or college.)
- So – for example, someone with 2 children under 11 and one child aged 13 would get €575.
The new school year for 2020-2021 is not due to start until at least September 2020 – (this, of course, maybe later because of Covid-19) .
The Back to School Allowance payments are still expected to be paid during the week beginning 6th July 2020. No changes have been announced.
Applications for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance are due to open online from the last week in June 2020.
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Covid19 Unemployment Payment:
It has been confirmed by the Dept. of Social Protection that the Covid Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will be treated as a qualifying payment for the Back to School Allowance . (As long as claimants satisfy the other criteria.)
Once a person is in receipt of the PUP during the qualifying period 1st June to 30 September, they will be eligible to claim the BSCFA.
There will probably be many more families looking to clam the Back to School Payment this year because of the Covid19 pandemic.
The official closing date for applications is expected to be 30 September 2020.
Is it Paid Automatically?
The Department of Social Protection pays the Back to School Allowance payment automatically to most families that qualify.
Anyone that does qualify automatically should get a letter during June 2020 stating when and how your Allowance will be paid.
If you don’t get a letter – you will need to apply.
It is unlikely that people who were working and then went on to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be paid the BSCFA automatically . Social welfare won’t know their full circumstances so they will probably have to apply for it.
( Application details further down the page).
All automatic payments should go out by mid July. But payments for people who have to make new claims could be a lot later than that.
So apply early to reduce delays.
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Back to School Allowance Applications
From the last week in June 2020, you should be able to apply online for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance at www.mywelfare.ie.
To apply online you must have a Public Services Card and a verified MyGovID account. If you do not have a Public Services Card, you can make an appointment to get one at www.mywelfare.ie
Paper Application Forms for the Back to School allowance scheme should also be available from the end of June 2020.
The official closing date for applications is 30 September 2020
Any person whose circumstances have changed should contact the Department of Social Protection at 1890 66 22 44 or Tel: (071) 919 3318 or email bscfa@welfare.ie.
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Who Qualifies?
To qualify for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance you need to fulfil one of the criteria below:
- Be getting a “qualifying” social welfare payment (including Covid PUP, Jobseekers , Working Family Payment and Back to Work Family Dividend) , Full list below. AND
- Be in receipt of an increase for a qualified child (IQC) in respect of each child for whom the allowance is being claimed (This does not apply to Covid payment, Maternity or Adoptive Benefit.)
OR
- Be taking part in an approved employment scheme Back to Work Family Dividend, Youth Employment Support Scheme, Community Employment, Community Services Programme, Tús, Gateway, Short Term Enterprise Allowance, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Jobs Initiative, Youthreach, Rural Social Schemes and Springboard Initiative.
- You must also satisfy the household means test
- Full means test rules here
Qualifying Income List
Qualifying Payments for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Scheme
- Adoptive Benefit, Blind Person’s Pension,Carer’s Benefit/Allowance ,
- Deserted Wife’s Benefit/Allowance , Disablement Benefit,
- Disability Allowance, Farm Assist,Guardian’s Payment ,
- Health and Safety Benefit ,Illness Benefit,Injury Benefit ,
- Invalidity Pension, Jobseeker’s Benefit/Allowance ,
- Maternity Benefit,One-Parent Family Payment,
- Partial Capacity Benefit
- State Pension , Supplementary Welfare Allowance
- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension
- Working Family Payment
Other Payments
A Social Security Payment from a county covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement (of which there is an irish equivalent payment)
Payments to participants on approved work placement or income support schemes. These include Back to Work Family Dividend, Youth Employment Support Scheme, Community Employment, Community Services Programme, Tús, Gateway, Short Term Enterprise Allowance, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Jobs Initiative, Youthreach, Rural Social Schemes and Springboard Initiative.
Payments to participants on a recognised education and training course such as Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) or Back To Education Allowance;
Daily Expenses Allowance
Participants on non-craft, full time, SOLAS or FÁS training schemes, CERT, and LES training schemes
