Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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803. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the rationale for exclusively online applications for the 2020-2021 back to school allowance; and the way in which applicants with restricted literacy or no access to computers can apply for this payment. [12787/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn.  The scheme operates from June to September each year.

The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid and eligible children between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid. 

Similar to previous years, the majority of customers are awarded BSCFA automatically.  Award letters are currently issuing to these customers.

Form 6 July, if customers have not received an award letter from BSCFA, the customer will need to apply for the allowance online on . If customers are experiencing issues applying online, they can contact the BSCFA section on 071 9193318 or 0818 11 11 13, where an officer can assist the customer to apply online or will issue an application form for the customer to complete.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.