Publication
Operational Guidelines: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Scheme
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BSCFA) scheme is a non-statutory scheme which provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. The scheme operates from 1 June to 30 September each year.
Household income is assessable in accordance with the guidelines on means set out in the
There are a number of exceptions to these rules for the purposes of the BSCFA scheme, as follows:
Income limits 2023
| Number of children | Income Limit | |
| 1 Child | €642.00 | |
| 2 Children | €692.00 | |
| 3 Children | €742.00 | |
| 4 Children | €792.00* |
*The income limit is increased by €50.00 for each additional dependent child.
Guardians
Guardian’s payments is a qualifying payment for BSCFA. The Guardian’s Payment (Contributory and Non-Contributory) is not assessable.
Maternity Benefit and Adoptive Benefit
Maternity Benefit and Adoptive Benefit are qualifying payments where no increase for a qualified child (IQC) payment is made subject to the other conditions of the scheme being met.
Foster children
BSCFA is not payable in respect of foster children. The financial support available to foster parents from Tusla – the Child and Family Agency (Foster Care Allowance), includes assistance with the cost of clothing and footwear for the foster child.
There are two rates of payment. They are age related.
The allowance paid for each eligible child aged 4-11 on or before 30 September 2023 is €160.
The allowance paid for each eligible child aged 12-22 on or before 30 September 2023 is €285.00. Children aged between 18 and 22 years must be returning to full time Second Level education in a recognised school or college.
For the 2023 scheme, the allowance is being increased by €100 for each eligible child under the scheme. The amount being paid for each eligible child aged 4-11 on or before 30 September 2023 will be €260.00 and the allowance being paid for each eligible child aged 12-22 on or before 30 September 2023 will be €385.00.
The rates are set out in the Rates of Payment booklet- SW19
Through a matching process in the Department, many customers will receive the BSCFA payment automatically. Award notifications issue to these customers’ MyWelfare accounts or by post in June.
If a customer has not received an award notification for BSCFA by the end of June and the customer is in receipt of a weekly social protection payment, the customer will need to apply for BSCFA online on www.MyWelfare.ie, even if the customer received the payment last year.
To apply online the customer must have a verified MyGovID account. If the customer does not have a verified MyGovID account, the customer can contact the BSCFA contact centre on 071 91 93318 or 0818 11 11 13 and our officers will be able to facilitate the customer becoming MyGovID verified.
The closing date for applying for BSCFA is 30 September 2023.
1. Deserted Wife's Benefit
2. Illness Benefit
3. Disablement Benefit
4. Carer's Benefit
5. Health and Safety Benefit
6. Invalidity Pension
7. Injury Benefit
8. State Pension (Contributory)
9. Partial Capacity Benefit
10. Jobseeker's Benefit
11. Widow's/Widower's/Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension
12. Guardian's Payment (Contributory)
13. Maternity Benefit
14. Adoptive Benefit
15. Blind Person's Pension
16. Carer's Allowance
17. Deserted Wife's Allowance
18. Disability Allowance
19. Working Family Payment
20. Farm Assist
21. State Pension (Non-Contributory)
22. One Parent Family Payment
23. Supplementary Welfare Allowance
24. Jobseeker's Allowance
25. Widow's Widower’s Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension
26. Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory)
27. Social Security Payment from a country covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement (of which there is an Irish equivalent payment)
28. Payments to participants on approved work placement or income support schemes. These include Back to Work Family Dividend, Community Employment, Community Services Programme, Tús, Gateway, Short Term Enterprise Allowance, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Jobs Initiative, Youthreach, Rural Social Scheme and Springboard Initiative
29. Payments to participants on a recognised education and training course such as a Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) or Back to Education Allowance
30. Daily Expenses Allowance
31. Participants on non-craft, full-time, SOLAS/FÁS training schemes, CERT and LES training schemes.