Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason the income limit for a single parent applying for the back to school clothing and footwear allowance is €331.30 and that of a couple is €353.30 whereas in other social welfare payments the income limit for couples and single parents are similar. [23026/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a one-off payment to assist eligible families with the extra costs when their children start school each autumn. The allowance is not intended to meet the full cost of school clothing and footwear but only to provide assistance towards these costs. Lone parents or couples may qualify for payment of an allowance if they are in receipt of a social welfare payment or Health Service Executive (HSE) payment; are participating in an approved employment scheme or attending a recognised education and training course; and have household income at or below certain set levels.

Different income limits apply for single parents and couples across different social welfare schemes, for example in the BSCFA and Fuel Allowance schemes. The rationale for the different income limits for lone parents and couples is to take account of the fact that there is an extra adult in the couple household who has to be provided for, and the income limit for couples reflects this.

The income limits for the BSCFA scheme for 2007 are based on the maximum rate of State Pension (contributory) (under 80), plus the qualified adult allowance, plus €100 in the case of married and cohabiting couples; and the maximum rate of widow's/widower's contributory pension (under 80) plus €100 for Lone Parents, plus child dependant allowance in each case. Income Limits for 2007 are:

Any changes to the current income limits for the back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme would have cost implications and would have to be considered in a budget context and in the light of the resources available to me for improvements in social welfare generally.