Curran encourages parents to apply early for back to school clothing and footwear allowance

Press Release 25^th June 2010

Government Chief Whip and local Fianna Fáil T.D. John Curran is encouraging parents in Clondalkin and Lucan who may be entitled to the Back to School Clothing and Footwear allowance - a payment of €200 or €305 depending on the age of their children – to apply early for the support which is available.

“Although we are many weeks away until the start of the new school year, I am encouraging families in Clondalkin and Lucan who may be eligible for this scheme to apply in good time to ensure they have their payment before the new term starts.

“The start of the new school year can be a pressurised time on household budgets. The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance helps parents to meet the cost of school uniforms and footwear for their children. Parents receive €200 for each eligible child aged between 2 and 11 years and €305 for each eligible child aged between 12 and 22 years. Parents are welcome to apply to their local HSE office for funding under the Scheme from now until the end of September.”

“€82 million has been made available by Government this year for the scheme - an increase of €59 million on this scheme since 2006. This level of support shows the Government’s ongoing commitment to assist families who are under pressure financially.

A mobile text service can be used to obtain an application form for the allowance. For an application form text - FORM BTSCFA - to 51909 followed by your name and address.

A person may qualify for payment of the allowance if they are in receipt of a Social Welfare payment (including Family Income Supplement), or a Health Service Executive payment, are participating in an approved employment scheme or attending a recognised education and training course and have household income at or below certain set levels. The weekly income limit for the allowance for parents with one child is now €563.60 for couples and €410.10 for those parenting alone.

The scheme is administered on behalf of the Department of Social Protection by the Community Welfare Division of the Health Service Executive. Application forms are now available in local Health Service Executive Offices in Lucan and Clondalkin and online at: http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Forms/Documents/bscfa.pdf or at http://communitywelfareservice.ie/cws_public/application-forms

Notes for Editors

Applications for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance can be made between the beginning of June and the end of September each year.

Application forms are available through the Department’s mobile text service. For the application forms for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear simply text - FORM BTSCFA - to 51909 followed by your name and address.

Application forms are also available at http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Forms/Documents/bscfa.pdf or at http://communitywelfareservice.ie/cws_public/application-forms.

A person may qualify for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear scheme if they are:

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

•taking part in approved employment schemes or training courses:

and

•receiving a Qualified Child Increase with their social welfare payment

and

•their household income is within the limits shown in the table below.

Weekly Income Limits for 2010 are: