Inquiry into excluding Carer's Allowance from Back-to-School Allowance Means Test

A CLARE TD has raised an important query to the Minister for Social Protection regarding the inclusion of carer's allowance in the means test for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme. 

Violet-Anne Wynne TD submitted the inquiry on July 25 to the Minister for Social Protection. She asked Minister Heather Humphreys if she any plans to disregard carer's allowance from the means test for back-to-school allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

In response to the inquiry, the Minister affirmed that there are no immediate plans to alter the existing eligibility criteria for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance. Any modifications to the means testing process would need to be considered within a broader budgetary context and in alignment with the available resources earmarked for welfare enhancements.

The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a crucial initiative aimed at assisting families with the costs of clothing and footwear when children prepare to return to school each fall. In 2022 alone, the scheme provided payments totaling €85.9 million to support more than 273,000 qualified children within 154,000 families.

While the standard rules of the scheme govern most applications, instances that deviate from these norms may be eligible for consideration under the Additional Needs Payment offered by the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, facilitated by the Community Welfare Service.

To qualify for this allowance, applicants must meet specific conditions, including the requirement that their household income falls within designated income limits. Carer's Allowance is currently considered as part of the assessment of household income for determining eligibility for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.