€160 or €285 payment date for 149k Irish parents in weeks confirmed as key group urged to check application NOW

The Irish Sun

a day ago

THE date a €160 or €285 payment for Irish parents will land into bank accounts has been confirmed.
And those eligible for the payment, which officially
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The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
is designed to help parents cover the cost of
returning to school.
It is expected to be paid out in the week starting on July 7th.
Last year,
It is expected that a similar number will benefit from the scheme this year.
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Many families
But those who haven't been notified of the payment on their MyWelfare account or through post by today could miss out on the lump sum.
And applications for the payment will close until next year on September 30.
Those who apply for the cash later in the summer will receive the payment later than others.
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The payment is €160 for children aged between four and 11 years old.
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Parents will receive a €285 payment for children aged between 12 and 22 - but those over 18 must be returning to full-time second level education in the autumn of 2025 in order to be eligible.
Minister for Social Protection
When asked by
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But the
Calleary said: "Applications for financial support which fall outside the rules and timeframe of the scheme may be considered for an Additional Needs Payment under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local Community Welfare Service."
WHO QUALIFIES?
Those who are eligible for BSCFA must be getting a
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Those who don't receive the Child Support Payment must still be getting a qualifying social welfare payment to claim BSCFA.
You can still claim if the rules of your payment do not provide for a child payment, such as
If this is not the case, you can still claim BSCFA if your spouse or partner's income is over the specified limit for your payment, but your overall household income is within the BSCFA income limits.
QUALIFYING PAYMENTS
THERE a number of social welfare payments that are treated as a qualifying social welfare payment for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
Social Insurance Payments
Deserted Wife's Benefit
Illness Benefit
Disablement Benefit
Carer's Benefit
Health and Safety Benefit
Invalidity Pension
Injury Benefit
State Pension (Contributory)
Partial Capacity Benefit
Jobseeker's Benefit
Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit
Widow's/Widower's/Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension
Guardian's Payment (Contributory)
Maternity Benefit
Adoptive Benefit
Social Assistance Payments
Blind Person's Pension
Carer's Allowance
Deserted Wife's Allowance
Disability Allowance
Working Family Payment
Farm Assist
State Pension (Non-Contributory)
One Parent Family Payment
Supplementary Welfare Allowance
Jobseeker's Allowance
Widow's Widower's Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension
Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory)
The BSCFA is a means tested, once off, lump sum payment given to those who meet the criteria.
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The weekly income limit for BSCFA is €694 for a family with one child, but this amount increases by €62 for each additional dependent child.
All dependent children, including those over 18 in third level education, will be counted when applying the income limit.
When assessing income from wages, the DSP looks at income before tax - but PRSI and a standard travel allowance of up to €20 each week is not included.
Savings, investments, shares and property - but not your own home - are also assessed as part of the means test.
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The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a lump sum €160 or €285 payment
Credit: Getty Images - Getty