The administrative arrangements for the 2011 scheme differ from the arrangements that applied in previous years. For the 2011 scheme the bulk of the entitlements will be fully automated and payment will issue automatically to customers with no application form required from customers.
These customers will receive a letter from the Department in mid-June telling them when and how their payment will be made.
It is expected that in excess of 80% of clients entitled to the allowance in 2011 will automatically receive the allowance without the need for an application form from the customer or for customers to contact the Department about their entitlement.
Payments to these customers will issue from the end of June 2011.
All other customers will be required to apply for the payment and the following rules and qualifying conditions will apply.
You may qualify if you and the qualifying child(ren) are living in the State and:
- 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
- Back to Work Allowance (Employees) (BTWA),
- Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA),
- Short-term Enterprise Allowance
- Community Employment,
- Revenue Job Assist,
- Community Services 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,
- Rural Social Scheme, or
- Tús
and
- getting a Qualified Child Increase with your social welfare payment. Any child who this allowance is claimed for must be resident in the state..
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.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is paid to parents whose income limits are at or below the following amounts:
Income limit for Couple
| Couple with: |
Income limit |
| 1 child |
€563.60
|
| 2 children |
€593.40
|
| 3 children |
€623.20
|
| 4 children |
|
Income limit for Lone Parent
| Lone Parent with: |
Income limit |
| 1 child |
€410.10
|
| 2 children |
€439.90
|
| 3 children |
€469.70
|
| 4 children |
|
*Note
Limit is increased by €29.80 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 these ‘special conditions’, you can apply for it in the usual way and will be subject to the income limits listed above.
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 Footware Allowance, or if you now have a qualified child, apply for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, subject to the income limits listed above.