Back to School Allowance 2023

The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a one-off, means-tested payment. It is aimed at helping families with the extra costs of children starting school each autumn.

How Much Is The Back To School Allowance in 2023 ?


A one-off increase of €100 per child in the Back to School Allowance was awarded in 2022.
This €100 one-off bonus will be repeated in July 2023 .


The amounts for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BTSCFA) in 2023 are shown below:

These amounts include the €100 bonus…

  • €260 for each eligible child aged 4-11 on or before 30 September 2023
  • €385 for each eligible child aged 12-22 on or before 30 September 2023
  • (Children aged between 18 and 22 years must be in full-time second-level education in a recognised school or college.)

Examples :-

  • Someone who qualifies with three children aged 4 , 7 and 13 will get back to school allowance of €905.
  • Someone with 3 children over 12 will get back to school allowance of €1155

These increases are temporary measures for the current school year only. They are due to will go back to €160 and €285 in 2024. (Unless they are increased in Budget 2024.


When will the Back to School Allowance be Paid in 2023?

Payment of the Back to School Allowance is due to be in the week beginning July 10th 2023. This is the payment date for those people that get it automatically.


Is The Back to School Allowance Paid Automatically?

The Department of Social Protection pays the Back to School Allowance automatically to most families that qualify.
Anyone who qualifies automatically should receive a confirmation informing them of their automatic entitlement, on their MyWelfare account or by post before July 10th.

If you received the allowance last year, you should get the payment automatically this year again if your circumstances haven’t changed.
If you don’t get a confirmation letter by June 8th – you will need to apply if you think you are eligible.


( Application details further down the page).


Back to School Allowance Application Dates

Online applications for the Back to School Allowance opened on June 8th 2023


Here is the page to apply online for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance .

(Do NOT apply if you got it last year and your circumstances haven’t changed. )


IMPORTANT :
To apply online you must have a verified MyGovID account. 
You will need a Public Services Card to get verified. If you do not have a PSC card you will need to contact the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance section on 071 91 93318 or 0818 11 11 13 and they will try to enable you to become MyGovID verified.

The official closing date for applications is September 30th 2023

Any person whose circumstances have changed should contact the Department of Social Protection at 0818 11 11 13 or  (071) 919 3318 or email bscfa@welfare.ie.
(P.S. There is no longer any need to worry about the cost of 1818 calls )


Who Qualifies for the Back-to-School Allowance?

To qualify for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance  you need to fulfil the criteria below:

  • Be getting a “qualifying” social welfare payment (includes – Jobseekers , Working Family Payment and Back to Work Family Dividend) , Full list below. AND
  • Be in receipt of an increase for a qualified child (IQC) in respect of each child for whom the allowance is being claimed (This does not apply to Maternity or Adoptive Benefit.)

OR

  • Be taking part in an approved employment scheme, Back to Work Family Dividend, Youth Employment Support Scheme, Community Employment, Community Services Programme, Tús, Gateway, Short Term Enterprise Allowance, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Jobs Initiative, Youthreach, Rural Social Schemes and Springboard Initiative.

As well as meeting the above requirements – You must also satisfy a household means test 

The following incomes are not counted in the means test.
Child Benefit, Rent Supplement, Working Family Payment,
Guardian’s Payments, Blind Welfare Allowance,
Rehabilitation Training Allowance,
rehabilitative employment (up to €120 per week), Domiciliary Care Allowance, Mobility Allowance.



The assessed weekly household income must be less than the amounts shown in the table below in order to qualify.

Number
of
Children
Income Limit
Couples
Income Limit
Lone Parents
1€600.70€600.70
2€637.70€637.70
3€674.70€674.70
4€711.70€711.70

All dependent children are taken into account for the income limits. This includes children who do not qualify for BSCFA because they are aged under 4.

Savings and property are taken into account . Full details of how assessed income is calculated can be seen here


Foster Children

BSCFA is not payable in respect of foster children. The financial support given to foster parents from Tusla already includes assistance with the cost of clothing for the foster child.

Qualifying Income List

Qualifying Payments for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Scheme

Payments from Social Welfare

  • Adoptive Benefit, Blind Person’s Pension,Carer’s Benefit/Allowance ,
  • Deserted Wife’s Benefit/Allowance , Disablement Benefit,
  • Disability Allowance, Farm Assist,Guardian’s Payment ,
  • Health and Safety Benefit ,Illness Benefit,Injury Benefit ,
  • Invalidity Pension, Jobseeker’s Benefit/Allowance ,
  • Maternity Benefit,One-Parent Family Payment,
  • Partial Capacity Benefit
  • State Pension , Supplementary Welfare Allowance
  • Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension
  • Working Family Payment
Other Payments
  • A 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).
  • Payments to participants of Back to Work Family Dividend, Youth Employment Support Scheme, Community Employment, Community Services Programme, Tús, Gateway, Short Term Enterprise Allowance, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Jobs Initiative, Youthreach, Rural Social Schemes and Springboard Initiative.
  • Payments to participants of a recognised education and training course such as Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) or Back To Education Allowance;
  • Daily Expenses Allowance
  • Participants on non-craft, full time, SOLAS or FÁS training schemes, CERT, and LES training schemes