Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance

jayjayxxx

gerryandliza wrote: »

I would give them a buzz first thing in the morning, if you haven't received your money yet then it could mean that they want additional info or something. Good luck and let us know.

i will... God i hope i don't need to send them more info... i'll post tomorrow after i ring....

shamrock55

what num do i ring to find out weather ive been approved or not im not sure of exact date i sent off my application think it was early july and still have not heard or received anything??

jayjayxxx

shamrock55 wrote: »

what num do i ring to find out weather ive been approved or not im not sure of exact date i sent off my application think it was early july and still have not heard or received anything??

1890 66 22 44 don't press any keys wait and it will ring and get you through to someone otherwise you get automated voice telling you what date there dealing with.

egan2020

jayjayxxx wrote: »

1890 66 22 44 don't press any keys wait and it will ring and get you through to someone otherwise you get automated voice telling you what date there dealing with.

Just something to note - if you're on bill pay with your mobile phone and you have free minutes to landline numbers, the 1890 is not classed as a landline (with Vodafone, don't know about other networks). I checked my bill on line and have been charged almost 6 euro for a 25 minute phonecall to them last week - and I didn't even manage to get to speak to someone as I was on hold all the time and eventually just hung up. So if this applies to you, ring them on 071 9193313.

shamrock55

thanks for that guys;)

kaydensmummy

hi all just to let u know i rang on monday was told it would be a week to ten days but checked my bank this morning and it was there they recieved my application on the 25th july im delighted couldnt be better timing i was panicking about my sons bday next week every penny i had had gone onto the school stuff hope everyone gets theres soon !

gerryandliza

Got mine in my bank account this morning. So glad that it is done! I hope everyone else gets theirs real soon.

jayjayxxx

got mine in post office 2day....

gerryandliza

jayjayxxx wrote: »

got mine in post office 2day....

Yay! So glad for you.

Shelli2

They say they didn't get mine until 23rd August!!!! And i'll prob have to appeal/review because i'm just over the limit (although I sent all extra documentation they could ever need with the first application on the off chance!)

It'll be Christmas at this stage by the time I get processed....if I even get it!

mabsme1

Shelli2 wrote: »

They say they didn't get mine until 23rd August!!!! And i'll prob have to appeal/review because i'm just over the limit (although I sent all extra documentation they could ever need with the first application on the off chance!)

It'll be Christmas at this stage by the time I get processed....if I even get it!

Get info into them straight away so you won't have to wait.

Shelli2

Yeah, sorry, should have made that clearer, they didn't say anything about an appeal, I just guessed I would before I sent the forms away, and pre-emtivly sent everything they could possibly as for as regards to income and expenditure, hoping they will process it with the first application instead of going through the review process. Unlikely though.

im a believer

very unlikely im afraid, i rang to ask about review process yesterday, i sent a review 3 weeks ago (even though i sent all relevant information with original application, they ignored it!). she told me that reviews are the last thing they will look at as far as they are concerned my claim has been processed!!! the closing date is 30th of September but they probably wont have all forms processed until end of October, then they will start processing review claims. will be lucky to have it by Christmas if i even get it! am not confident about getting it at all, lady in citizen advice told me that it is only being paid to those fully dependent on social welfare this year, every other year low income families were entitled to apply, its so feckin depressing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yabadabado

im a believer wrote: »

very unlikely im afraid, i rang to ask about review process yesterday, i sent a review 3 weeks ago (even though i sent all relevant information with original application, they ignored it!). she told me that reviews are the last thing they will look at as far as they are concerned my claim has been processed!!! the closing date is 30th of September but they probably wont have all forms processed until end of October, then they will start processing review claims. will be lucky to have it by Christmas if i even get it! am not confident about getting it at all, lady in citizen advice told me that it is only being paid to those fully dependent on social welfare this year, every other year low income families were entitled to apply, its so feckin depressing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thats 100% wrong.Where did she come up with that info?

mabsme1

That is totally wrong, you just need to fall below a cut-off limit. If you look at their website it will tell you how much the cut-off is according to how many children you have.

im a believer

she said its not officially announced but that is what they are doing, i dunno , feel like giving up!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shelli2

I heard in previous years that if you were very close to the cut off limit you could appeal and they would take into account if you have high expenditure, like a lone parent with high childcare costs. It sounds like this year they are not going to do that, your either under the income limit or your not. I don't think this is fair at all, there are plenty of lone parents who are worse off beause they work part time, their income may be slightly higher, but out goings are also much higher. It feels like people in this band are being penalised for contributing to society, where is the incentive to work? Another example of the benefit system failing IMO. I do understand that there are lone parents who can't work for many reasons, but their are people who can, who don't because their better financially not working!

yabadabado

im a believer wrote: »

she said its not officially announced but that is what they are doing, i dunno , feel like giving up!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is total lies,she hasnt a clue what she is talking about.

newballsplease

You or your spouse need to be in receipt of a social welfare payment in order to be eligible for the Back to school.
And as long as your weekly income means between the 2 of ye is below a certain amount.

eg 1 child - €563.60

newballsplease

mabsme1 wrote: »

That is totally wrong, you just need to fall below a cut-off limit. If you look at their website it will tell you how much the cut-off is according to how many children you have.

No, you DO need to be in receipt of a weekly social welfare payment.

previous years you just had to fall below a certain amount per wages of partners. That was through the HSE.

This year its through the Social welfare.

Rosedust84

I sent off an application mid august..no word yet my friend went to the cwo and he sorted hers out, I thought that wasn't the case though? I'm flat out broke and the school haven't even sent the bill for the books yet, joys of it!

mrsbyrne

Let there be no confusion. The household must be in receipt of a SW payment, and below the income limit.

muffler

From the dept's web site

You may qualify for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance if you are:

* Getting a social welfare payment (including Family Income Supplement) or a Health Service Executive payment, or
* Taking part in an approved employment scheme, or
* Taking part in a recognised education or training course, or
* Involved in an Area Partnership Scheme, or
* Attending a FÁS, Fáilte Ireland or LES training scheme

yabadabado

it was always the case ,the household had to be in receipt of a social welfare payment but they dont have to be fully dependant on social welfare.

gipi

newballsplease wrote: »

No, you DO need to be in receipt of a weekly social welfare payment.

previous years you just had to fall below a certain amount per wages of partners. That was through the HSE.

This year its through the Social welfare.

This isn't true - you always had to be in receipt of a SW payment before being eligible for the Back to School Scheme, even when it was administered by CWOs in the HSE. Although it was paid by CWOs, the rules were set by SW, just as they have been this year.

As another poster mentioned, you don't have to be solely on SW, but if there isn't a SW payment being made then a family won't qualify regardless of their income.