Know Your Rights has been compiled by Kerry Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public…
Know Your Rights has been compiled by Kerry Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public…The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BSCFA) is a payment to help families with the cost of school uniforms and shoes. Many families get it automatically.. The closing date for applications is 30th September 2026.
Can I get the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BSCFA)?
You can get the BSCFA if you have a child that qualifies, and:
• You are getting a qualifying social welfare payment, or are participating in an approved employment, education or training support scheme.
• Your household is within the BSCFA income limits
• You and each child you claim the BSCFA for are resident in Ireland.
If you are getting a social welfare payment, you must be getting a Child Support Payment (previously called an Increase for a Qualified Child or IQC) with your payment. There are some exceptions to this.
Continued below…
What happens if I don’t get a Child Support Payment with my social welfare payment?
If you are getting a qualifying social welfare payment but you don’t get a Child Support Payment, you can still claim BSCFA if the rules of your payment do not provide for a child payment (e.g., Maternity Benefit and Adoptive Benefit), or 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. You must meet the other rules for getting BSCFA.
Does my child qualify?
To get the BSCFA, your child must be:
• Aged between 2-17 on 30 September in the year you apply
• Aged between 18-22 and returning to full-time second-level education in a recognised school in the autumn of the year you apply
• Your child must be resident in Ireland.
Income limits for the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
Your total household income must be less than the amounts set out in the table below.
*The income limit is increased by €78 for each additional dependent child.
When calculating your total household income the Department looks at all income into the household including wages and weekly social welfare or Health Service Executive (HSE) payments, and capital (such as savings, investments, and any property you have excluding your own home).
Continued below…
When assessing your income from wages, the DSP looks at your income before tax. However, they don’t include PRSI and a standard travel allowance of up to €20 per week.
However, some social welfare payments are not included in the means test. Contact your local CIC for more information on what is excluded. You can also contact them for more detailed information on how capital is assessed for BSCFA,
How much is Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance?
.*Children aged between 18-22 must be returning to full-time second-level education in a recognised school in the autumn of 2026.
How to apply for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
You don’t need to apply for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BSCFA) if you get the payment automatically. The Department of Social Protection (DSP) will let you know if you are paid automatically using your MyWelfare account, or by post.
If you don’t hear from the DSP by the end of June, you must apply for BSCFA online, even if you got the BSCFA payment last year.
If you don’t get the payment automatically, you can apply for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance online at MyWelfare.ie. You will need a verified MyGovID account.
You can also apply using paper form. Applications for BSCFA will close on 30 September 2026.
• For anyone needing information, advice or have an advocacy issue, you can call a member of the local Citizens Information team in Kerry on 0818 07 7860, they will be happy to assist and make an appointment if necessary. The offices are staffed from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. Alternatively you can email on tralee@citinfo.ie or log on to www.citizensinformation.ie for further information.
