Help with back-to-school costs

Children’s charity Bernardo’s released their 18th annual school costs survey a couple of weeks ago and what they unsurprisingly found, was that the burden it’s placing on families is very real.

Parents are feeling the financial pressure and anxiety is a word I’ve heard many parents use when they begin to think about how they’ll meet these costs and is it any wonder when some are already struggling to meet increased mortgage repayments, higher utility bills as well as finding it difficult to pay for their weekly shopping.

For them, the cost of living crisis continues at pace and they’ve found no respite despite additional supports being introduced.

And Bernardo’s survey only confirmed what most people already knew because it discovered that 35% of primary school parents and 50% of secondary school parents said cost of living increases have made it much more difficult for them to meet costs with a further 41% saying it had made it slightly more difficult.

Worryingly, 24% of secondary school parents said they’ve had to take out a loan or borrow from friends or family members to meet the costs of their child returning to school this year.

And that’s because, the estimated cost for a pupil for a 1st year student in secondary school will be c. €972 , and the cost for a 5th year pupil will be c. €863, and if you have no savings or very little, your only recourse could be to borrow the money.

From a primary school perspective, Bernardo’s found the cost facing parents for a child in 4th class is going to be about €320.

Anyway, some effort has been made in recognising the difficulty parents are facing.

For example, from September 2023, parents of children in primary schools and special schools do not have to pay a contribution fee towards schoolbooks, workbooks, and copybooks. There is also help with exam fees i.e. students whose parent or guardian has a medical card do not have to pay the exam fees for the junior or leaving certificate. Free transport is available to children with special needs and may be free to medical card holders as well if the school transport scheme is operating in your area and your child is eligible.

And of course the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance (BTSCFA) which was temporarily increased last year by €100 for each eligible child under the scheme, will be awarded at the same rate for this year as well, bringing the total amount up to €260 for children aged between 4-11 on or before 30 September 2023 and €385 for children aged between 12 and 22 on or before 30 September 2023.

So, if someone had two kids aged 5 and 7 and they satisfied the BTSCFA criteria they’d receive a back-to-school allowance of €520.

If someone had three kids aged 8, 13 and 14, they’d receive €1,030 under the BTSCFA scheme, again assuming they satisfy the eligibility criteria.

For children aged between 18 and 22, in order for them to qualify they must be in full time second level education in a recognised school or college.

And because the BTSCFA is such an important and much used resource for primary and secondary school parents, I want to outline how you qualify for this particular benefit. And even though the payment has already been made to qualifying families in July (they were contacted automatically in June notifying them that funds were on the way) there may be some who haven’t received any letter or any money and perhaps they may qualify.

If this is the case, they still have time, but not very long either, because the official closing date to apply for this benefit ends on the 30th September 2023.

In an instance like this, and parents received no letter in June, they’ll have to apply on-line and I’ll explain what they have to do in a moment.

But first I’m going to outline what the rules for the BTSCFA are, who qualifies, how you make a claim etc.

Okay, the BTSCFA opened in June 2023 and runs until the 30th September 2023. And it’s a once off yearly payment which is means tested.

And to avail of the allowance, you need to meet the following criteria.

Eligibility Criteria

You may qualify if you or your partner are:

n Getting a social welfare payment (including Working Family Payment and Back to Work Family Dividend or a Health Service Executive payment, or

n Taking part in an approved employment scheme (back to work scheme) or

n Taking part in a recognised education or training course, or

n Getting a Daily Expenses Allowance (formerly called Direct Provision Allowance) for a child in education (or for yourself if you are 18–22 and returning to full-time second-level education), or

n Involved in an Area Partnership Scheme, or

n Attending a FET (formerly Fás) training course

Each child being claimed for must be aged between 4 and 17 or aged between 18 and 22 and returning to second level education.

You must also be in receipt of an increase for a qualified child (IQC) in respect of each child for whom the allowance is being claimed for, although there can be exceptions to this in certain circumstances.

And you and each child who you are claiming the allowance for, must be resident in the state.

Means Tested

The payment is means tested and the assessed weekly household income must be less than a certain amount in order to qualify, and the amount will depend on the number of children you have. For example, if you have one child the weekly income limit is €642. It’s €692 if you have two children, €742 if you have 3 and €792 if you have four. The amount is increased by €50 for each additional dependent child.

And all your dependent children are taken into account for the income limits, including children who do not qualify for BTSCFA because for example they are under the age of 4.

There are some income sources that aren’t used and counted in the means test and that is where the monies come from child benefit, rent supplement, working family payment, guardians’ payments , blind welfare allowance, mobility allowance, domiciliary care allowance and the rehabilitation training allowance.

And your total household income includes all social welfare or health executive payments but excludes any PRSI contributions. And if you have savings or investments they are included in the assessment but any amounts up to €5,000 are not. The next €10,000 is however and is calculated at €1 per €1,000, the next €25,000 it’s €2 per €1,000 and €4 per €1,000 on the balance.

How to Apply

If you haven’t been contacted and you believe you meet the criteria, you should apply for the BTSCFA payment online on at www.MyWelfare.ie.

And let me repeat, the closing date for applications is the 30th September 2023.

If you did apply and your application was refused, you have the right to appeal the decision by writing to: The Department of Social Protection, Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Review Section, Social Welfare Services, Department of Social Protection, College Road, Sligo, F91 T384, outlining why you are unhappy with their decision and asking that your claim be reviewed. You should request a review of your application within 21 days of getting a decision.

Last couple of things worth mentioning about the BTSCFA and they are, you cannot claim for a child who is not resident in the State. And foster children are not eligible either because the financial support parents get from Tusla includes help with the cost of clothing and footwear for the child.

Liam Croke is MD of Harmonics Financial Ltd, based in Plassey. He can be contacted at [email protected] or www.harmonics.ie