Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowances

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Cllr. Michael Merrigan, Independent, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council Very soon it will be ‘back to school’ time once again. Understandably, the costs of clothing and footwear are of serious concern for many parents.

There are allowances available for School Clothing and footwear. This leaflet sets out the details of these allowances and how to apply.

Introduction

The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BTSCFA) helps you meet the cost of uniforms and footwear for children going to school.

You (the parent or guardian) must be getting certain social welfare payments or taking part in training, employment or adult education schemes and your child/ren must be aged between 4 and 17 on or before 30 September of the year you apply or aged between 18 and 22 on or before 30 September if in second-level education.

The Department of Social Protection will automatically pay the Allowance to those people who received an automatic payment in 2014 and who, according to their records, are still entitled to the Allowance in 2015. You should get a letter from the DSP in early June and your automatic payment will issue in the week ending Friday 17 July

2015. Everyone else who wishes to claim the Allowance must complete an application form (see 'How to apply' below).

CONTENTS •

INFORMATION

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RULES

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RATES

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HOW TO APPLY

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WHERE TO APPLY

The Department of Social Protection will examine all applications received and will post updates to their website on the progress being made in processing these applications. You will get a letter informing you of the decision and, where payment has been awarded, when and how the Allowance will be paid. If the Allowance is refused you will be told how to request a review of the decision.

Rules Getting a social welfare payment (including Family Income Supplement and Back to Work Family Dividend) or a Health Service Executive payment, or Taking part in an approved employment scheme (back to work scheme) including JobBridge or Taking part in a recognised education or training course, or Involved in an Area Partnership Scheme, or Attending a FET (formerly Fás), Fáilte Ireland or LES training scheme.

Your child must be aged between 4-17 on or before 30 September 2015. If they are aged between 18-22 they must be in full-time second-level education in a recognised school or college. on or before 30 September 2015. If they are aged between 18-22 they must be in full-time second-level education in a recognised school or college.

Serving the Communities of Monkstown, Monkstown Farm, Dún Laoghaire, Glasthule & Sandycove, Dalkey, Glenageary, Sallynoggin, Rochestown and the Pottery Road Area.

CLLR. MICHAEL MERRIGAN – 086 875 6026

Rules

Income Limits

In general you must be getting an Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) with your payment.

There are some exceptions to this. For example, you may be getting a qualifying payment but you are not getting an increase for your child (because the rules of the scheme do not provide for a child payment) – Maternity Benefit or Adoptive Benefit are examples. In such cases you can still claim BTSCFA if you satisfy the other criteria.

In other cases an IQC is not paid because the income of your spouse or partner is over the specified limits but if your overall household income is within the limits specified below you may qualify. You cannot claim BTSCFA for a child that is not resident in the State. Foster children are not eligible for the BTSCFA (because the financial support foster parents receive includes help with the cost of clothing and footwear for the child).

Note that if you have applied for a social welfare payment or are have appealed a decision not to award you a social welfare payment and are waiting for a decision on your application, you should apply for the BTSCFA. Your entitlement will be established when you get a decision on your application or appeal.

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To qualify for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, your total household income must be less than the amounts set out in the table below. All your dependent children are taken into account for the income limits (including children who do not qualify for BTSCFA, because they are under 4).

Your total household income includes your main social welfare or Health Service Executive payment, the income of any dependent children on the Youthreach Programme and any other income you may have including wages (before tax, but excluding PRSI and a standard travel allowance of up to €20 per week), maintenance, savings and investments.

Savings and investments (including property, but not your home) are assessed as follows: Capital First €5,000 Next €10,000 Next €25,000 Balance

Weekly means assessed not taken account €1 per €1,000 €2 per €1,000 €4 per €1,000

into

Any income you get from Rent Supplement or Mortgage Interest Supplement, Family Income Supplement, Blind Welfare Allowance, Rehabilitation Training Allowance, rehabilitative employment (up to €120 per week), Domiciliary Care Allowance, Mobility Allowance and the Student Grant Scheme is not counted.

Income limits for couples 2015 Couple Income limit 1 child €563.60 2 children €593.40 3 children €623.20 4 children €653* *The income limit is increased by €29.80 for each additional dependent child

CLLR. MICHAEL MERRIGAN – 086 875 6026

Income Limits Income limits for lone parents 2015 Lone parent 1 child 2 children 3 children 4 children

Income limit €410.10 €439.90 €469.70 €499.50*

*The income limit is increased by €29.80 for each additional dependent child.

In the re-assessment you can keep your entitlement to the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (or apply for it if you did not have an eligible child before now), as long as your gross household income is less than €317.43.

In the re-assessment of means, the value of the Back to Enterprise Allowance and Family Income Supplement is not taken into account in the calculation of your gross household income. The people most likely to qualify using the secondary benefit (€317.43) assessment are people getting a Back to Work Enterprise Allowance.

Back to Education Allowance or VTOS

Rates

If you are getting a Back to Education Allowance or VTOS allowance, you can apply for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance. You will be assessed using the standard rules and your total household income must be less than the income limits.

The allowance paid for each eligible child aged 411 on or before 30 September 2015 is €100.

Back to work schemes There are some special conditions for people who are on Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Community Employment, Revenue Job Assist, Rural Social Scheme, Tús and the Community Services Programme Social Economy Programme (Grant-Aided Employees).

If you were on a social welfare payment before going onto one of these schemes, you will first be assessed using the standard means test for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.

If you fail to qualify using the standard means test, you will be re-assessed to find out if you can retain the Allowance as a secondary benefit under the different back to work schemes.

The allowance paid for each eligible child aged 1222 on or before 30 September 2015 is €200.

Children aged between 18 and 22 years must be in full-time second-level education in a recognised school or college.

How to apply The scheme is open from 1 June to 30 September 2015.

Some people will get the Allowance automatically without having to complete a form. Application forms are available online (pdf), in all social welfare offices, by SMS (text Form BTSCFA followed by your name and address to 51909). You can also email the Department at BSCFA@welfare.ie.

Where to apply Social Welfare Services Department of Social Protection

College Road Sligo F91 T384

Locall - 1890 66 22 44 It may take a number of weeks to process your application.

CONTACT DETAILS: Mobile 086 875 6026 E-mail mmerrigan@cllr.dlrcoco.ie Facebook: www.facebook.com/Vote.Merrigan.No.1

Twitter: @VoteMerrigan

[Type here] Acknowledgement: Information Leaflet supplied by Senator Gerard P. Craughwell