Everything you need to know about claiming two key social welfare payments due to land in the coming months
There are two key payments due to land in the coming months and people can apply if they are eligible
Two significant social welfare payments are arriving this summer, and people are being encouraged to apply if they meet the criteria.
Amid the continuing cost of living crisis, it’s vital to claim any benefits available to you.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant will be distributed over the coming months – here’s what you need to know.
Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BSCFA) is a payment designed to assist families with the expense of school uniforms and footwear, reports RSVP Live.
You can receive the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BSCFA) if you have a qualifying child, and you are in receipt of an eligible social welfare payment, or are taking part in an approved employment, education or training support scheme, your household falls within the BSCFA income thresholds and both you and each child you claim the BSCFA for are resident in Ireland.
If you are receiving a social welfare payment, you must be in receipt of a Child Support Payment (formerly known as an Increase for a Qualified Child or IQC) alongside your payment. Certain exceptions apply to this requirement.
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To qualify for the BSCFA, your child must be aged between 2-17 on September 30 in the year of application or aged between 18-22 and returning to full-time second-level education at a recognised school in the autumn of the year you apply.
Your child must be resident in Ireland. From June 2025 onwards, those receiving the Foster Care Allowance can now apply for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance for each foster child in their care. To be eligible for the payment, you must meet the scheme’s conditions. Previously, foster carers were prevented from applying on behalf of the foster children they looked after.
A sum of €160 is provided for children aged 2-11, while €285 is allocated for children aged 12-22.
For comprehensive details of the scheme, click here.
Carer’s Support Grant
The Department of Social Protection (DSP) issues the Carer’s Support Grant to carers on an annual basis. It was formerly known as the Respite Care Grant.
The grant may be spent however you wish. While it can cover respite care expenses, there’s no obligation to use it for this purpose. Only one Carer’s Support Grant can be issued per person being cared for.
It is automatically awarded to those in receipt of Carer’s Allowance (both full rate and half-rate), Carer’s Benefit and Domiciliary Care Allowance. Additional recipients are expected to benefit from the payment as one of the automatic schemes will adjust its eligibility criteria this year.
In July 2026, the weekly income threshold for Carer’s Allowance will increase by €375 to €1,000 for a single person, and by €750 to €2,000 for a couple. This means more people will qualify for Carer’s Allowance, and consequently the Carer’s Support Grant moving forward.
The grant is typically distributed on the first Thursday of June, which means in 2026 recipients can anticipate payment on June 4. Applications have now opened for those who don’t receive it automatically. The payment rate stands at €2,000.
For complete information on the Carer’s Support Grant, click here.
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