Back-to-school payments due for 380,000 children

Low-income families should get payments this month to help send more than 380,000 children and young adult dependents back to education this autumn, but fewer will qualify this year and the rates have been cut.

The Department of Social Protection paid over €90m last year to 196,000 homes for 384,000 school and college students under the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance.

However, Social Protection Minister Joan Burton has slashed the budget to €63.7m. Children aged two or three no longer qualify, and the amount payable has been cut by up to 25%.