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Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced that over 126,000 families will receive the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance from today.
This initiative by the Department of Social Protection aims to alleviate the financial burden of school uniforms and footwear as the new school term approaches. The scheme will see €160 allocated for children aged 4-11 and €285 for those aged 12 and over in second-level education. In total, over €47.5 million will be disbursed this week, benefiting over 223,000 children. Notifications of these payments are sent to families via post or through their MyWelfare accounts.
Minister Humphreys expressed her delight, stating:
“I am delighted to announce that the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance payments for 2024 commence from today. This scheme is so important in terms of supporting parents in meeting their back-to-school costs over the coming weeks. This week, my Department will issue automatic payments to over 126,000 families in respect of over 223,000 children.”
The scheme remains open for applications until September 30th, and eligible families are encouraged to apply. Manual processing of these applications will ensure that payments are made once eligibility is confirmed.
Minister Humphreys highlighted the significance of the support, noting:
“The costs associated with children both starting and returning to school can put a lot of financial pressure on families throughout the country. The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance provides valuable support to families to assist with these costs and I would urge anybody who has not yet applied to check their eligibility for the scheme.”
She also mentioned additional measures introduced to support families with the cost of living, including the Hot School Meals Programme, the Free School Books Scheme, double Child Benefit Payments, and increased thresholds for the Working Family Payment.
Breakdown of Recipients by County:
| County | Number of Families Benefitting | Number of Children Benefitting |
|---|---|---|
| Carlow | 2,187 | 3,748 |
| Cavan | 2,174 | 3,991 |
| Clare | 2,953 | 5,255 |
| Cork | 11,842 | 20,562 |
| Donegal | 5,897 | 10,615 |
| Dublin | 32,585 | 56,339 |
| Galway | 5,647 | 10,278 |
| Kerry | 4,387 | 7,245 |
| Kildare | 5,126 | 9,010 |
| Kilkenny | 1,973 | 3,463 |
| Laois | 2,419 | 4,446 |
| Leitrim | 1,043 | 1,871 |
| Limerick | 5,566 | 9,918 |
| Longford | 1,653 | 3,139 |
| Louth | 5,040 | 8,949 |
| Mayo | 3,745 | 6,868 |
| Meath | 4,553 | 8,036 |
| Monaghan | 1,725 | 3,208 |
| Offaly | 2,364 | 4,279 |
| Roscommon | 1,616 | 3,119 |
| Sligo | 1,849 | 3,316 |
| Tipperary | 4,717 | 8,449 |
| Waterford | 3,989 | 6,893 |
| Westmeath | 2,766 | 4,884 |
| Wexford | 5,200 | 9,065 |
| Wicklow | 3,578 | 6,104 |
| Total | 126,594 | 223,050 |
The allowance provides a one-off payment to eligible families, with €160 for each child aged 4-11 and €285 for each child aged 12-22 in full-time second-level education. Enquiries can be directed to dedicated phone lines during business hours or via email at [email protected]. The closing date for applications is September 30, 2024. Further information is available at www.gov.ie/bscfa.