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You are here: Home » Publications » Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance - SW 75 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance - SW 75 | Last Updated: 13th June 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Contents1. What is the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance? 6. What can I do if I am unhappy with the decision on my application? 7. Where can I get more information? Qualifying conditions for our schemes change from time to time. Always check with your local Social Welfare Office or contact our Information Services at (01) 704 3000 to see if qualifying conditions have changed. 1. What is the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance?The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance helps towards the cost of uniforms and footwear for school children. The Scheme operates from 1st June to 30th September each year. The Scheme, offers help to school-going children for whom a qualified child increase is payable and is run by the local office of the Health Service Executive (HSE) as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) Scheme. The Allowance is not paid in respect of foster children. Your local office of the Health Service Executive (HSE) will decide if you qualify for this payment. 2. How can I qualify?You may qualify if you are:
Household income includes:
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 conditionsIf 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 the conditions outlined above, you can apply for it in the usual way and will be subject to the income limits see above for details.
Back to Education Allowance or VTOSIf you are getting Back to Education Allowance or taking part in VTOS, you can still get Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance , or if you now have a qualified child, apply for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, subject to the income limits details above. 3. How much is the allowance?The allowance is:
4. How do I get my payment?You normally get your payment by cheque. 5. How do I apply?You should apply to the Community Welfare Officer (CWO) at your local office of the Health Service Executive. 6. What can I do if I am unhappy with the decision on my application?If you are unhappy with the decision on your application, write to your local office of the Health Service Executive explaining why you are not happy with the decision. 7. Where can I get more information?For more information on the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, contact the Community Welfare Officer at your local office of the Health Service Executive. You can also get information on Social Welfare Services on the Internet at www.welfare.ie. Information booklets and application forms are also available.
 You can get independent information on rights and entitlements to all social services from your local Citizens Information Centre.The service is free, confidential and independent.Citizen information is available from over 250 locations nationwide. The contact details and opening hours of your nearest Citizens Information Centre are listed in the Golden Pages. Alternatively, log on to www.citizensinformation.ie or LoCall Citizens Information Phone Service on 1890 777 121 or The Citizens Information Board, is the statutory body which supports the provision of information, advice and advocacy to the public on the broad range of social and civil services. It provides the Citizens Information website and supports the voluntary network of Citizens Information Services and the Citizens Information Phone Service. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
Early Childcare Supplement
Early Childcare Supplement
What exactly is the Early Childcare Supplement?
The Early Childcare Supplement was announced by the Government in December 2005. It is intended to help parents of children under the age of six to meet their childcare needs. Although responsibility for the scheme belongs to the Department of Health and Children, for convenience the payments will be issued, on an agency basis, by the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
It came into effect on April 1st 2006. It is a direct, non-taxable payment, to be paid at the end of each quarter (that is, every three months) for each child under 6 years of age who receives Child Benefit. The payment amounts to €250 per quarter (€1,000 per year) for each eligible child.
The full quarterly payment is due for each child who is aged under 6 at any time during that quarter. That is, the full amount of €250 will issue whether your child is aged under 6 for the full quarter or just for one day during the quarter. Payment will also issue for the quarter in which your child turns 6.
When will the payments issue?
The first payment of 2007 will issue in April 2007, to cover the period from January 1st to March 30th 2007.
The second payment of 2007 will issue in July 2007, to cover the period from April 1st to June 30th 2007.
The third payment of 2007 will issue in October 2007, to cover the period from July 1st to September 30th 2007.
The fourth payment of 2007 will issue in December 2007, to cover the period from October 1st to December 30th 2007.
Payments will issue this year and in subsequent years on the second Monday of April, July, October and December
How will the payments issue?
Payments will be made in the same way as your Child Benefit (CB) payments are already made. If you have your Child Benefit paid into a bank account, your Early Childcare Supplement will be automatically paid into the same account. If you collect your Child Benefit at the Post Office with a book, you will collect your Early Childcare Supplement there too, although with a Social Services Card instead of a book (if you do not already have a card, one will be issued to you before the first Early Childcare Supplement payment).
How do I apply?
No application is necessary, so you do not need to do anything. As long as you are receiving Child Benefit for a child under 6, your Early Childcare Supplement will be issued automatically.
Contact Information
For further information about Early Childcare Supplement, please contact:
Early Childcare Supplement Section,
St Oliver Plunkett Road,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal,
Telephone: 1890 60 50 40 (from within the Republic of Ireland).