The €100 increase in the Government’s back-to-school allowance for clothing and footwear will be paid into bank accounts from next Monday, July 18th rather than next month, Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys has said.
Some 124,000 families, in respect of 220,000 children across the State, will receive the extra €100 payment from next week following the announcement of new welfare support plans.
A total 151,000 families and 262,000 children are expected to benefit from this once-off payment scheme by the time it closes on September 30th. This is an increase on the 137,000 families who received back-to-school cost supports in 2021.
While payments of the regular allowance for eligible families start today, the additional €100 per qualifying child will be paid next week, the Minister said.
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The back-to-school allowance was increased in the last budget by €10 per child but is now being raised by a further €100.
This increase in payments, along with changes to make more one-parent families eligible for the scheme, means a total of €260 will be paid for each eligible child aged 4-11 years and €385 will be paid for eligible children aged 12 and over.
Students aged between 18-22 years must be returning to full-time second-level education in a recognised school or college in the autumn of 2022 in order to qualify for the payment.
Ms Humphries announced that Ukrainian families who have moved to Ireland due to the war will also benefit under the scheme. She also urged families to check their eligibility for the scheme and send in applications before September 30th.
The Government also announced a significant expansion of the school meals programme, while school transport fees will be waived for primary and secondary students as part of the Government’s €67 million back-to-school package which was announced last week.
Ms Humphreys said 310 newly designated Deis schools could avail of the school meals programme this year, benefiting an extra 60,000 children.
