Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance

mommysteph

I checked my account this morning, nothing... called the number which was posted here, and got a nasty man... swear you where asking him for the money.. refused to send me the form told me to download it and get on with it, said it would be september when I got if I qualified.

I called back to get the text number, got a woman.. she said I should have qualified but did.. and said that in fact 50% of persons whom should have got automatic payments didn't. She is sending me out a form, said they do hope to get through them but it could be 6 weeks or more.

I asked why they could not just automatically issue payment knowing that I qualify and was told it can not be done.

The 80% target... is at 30%...

Letters with forms attached should have been sent out to those the computer decided where not getting automatically.

Am very angry right now.. know 4 people whom did get, and all 4 sent the kids to the park and went to the pub..

I have had to borrow money against my child benefit to pay the school for uniforms... and then call ESB to pay my bill this month in installements as I now can not afford to pay them as I was from my child benefit.

Does the social actually care.. don't think they do... hope the form comes soon.

jackmax

I know its so frustrating isn't it. I know people who got it too who will drink it and that makes me sooooooooo mad :mad: what about us genuine people who can't afford to get the uniforms without it!!
I rang them yesterday and they sent me out the form and I got it today. hope it won't take forever now to get the payment and I agree that the people who should have been paid and weren't should just be paid now without having to reapply. its their fault :mad:

susie05

just wondering if their would be any point in applying for the allowence...We are married with 2 kids..& husband takes home €560 weekly..we dont recieve any other payment like FIS though(an going to apply though).i had a Med Card though.Thanks in advance

mommysteph

Am pleased to hear that at least the forms are being sent out straight away.. that is something better than nothing.

I actually was so mad I contacted RTE news and told (did not ask) them they should do a report on this matter, with the hope next year its not the same.

They should have a system to pay those whom they know should have been paid without all this..

Am so mad.. I actually feel like getting drunk.. even thou I do not drink.. seems to me decent people get nothing without a fight.. am so fed up.

mommysteph

susie05 wrote: »

just wondering if their would be any point in applying for the allowence...We are married with 2 kids..& husband takes home €560 weekly..we dont recieve any other payment like FIS though(an going to apply though).i had a Med Card though.Thanks in advance

If you go to page one of the posts it tells all about limits - copied this for you..
''Income limit for Couple
Couple with: Income limit
1 child
€563.60
2 children
€593.40
3 children
€623.20
4 children
€653.00

You said 2 kids, 560 wages going by these figures you should qualify.. so do.

Once you apply for FIS you will be over the limit..but it is worth it.

jayjayxxx

mommysteph wrote: »

I checked my account this morning, nothing... called the number which was posted here, and got a nasty man... swear you where asking him for the money.. refused to send me the form told me to download it and get on with it, said it would be september when I got if I qualified.

I called back to get the text number, got a woman.. she said I should have qualified but did.. and said that in fact 50% of persons whom should have got automatic payments didn't. She is sending me out a form, said they do hope to get through them but it could be 6 weeks or more.

I asked why they could not just automatically issue payment knowing that I qualify and was told it can not be done.

The 80% target... is at 30%...

im the same had to spend bill money on uniforms today so have to pay this weeks bills next week which is my little girls birthday very annoyin as i also know people who spent theres on drink or themselves

mishboys

hi i had the pleasure of spending 19mins on hold waiting to speak to a human..in the end i ran out of credit before i got to talk to anyone to find out whats going on..im still hoping that maybe in the next few days i might get word ..to all who have put up posts thank you.social welfare could learn alot from this site..

mommysteph

First call was over half an hour if not more to speak to someone, all the time thinking my bill is going to be sky high. The second time I went to the choose 1 - and he went so fast with the details for the text I hardly caught a third of the information, with no repeat.. so the 3rd call was another good 20 mins or more to speak to someone. They mess up, we get the addional stress, and the addional charge on the bill. Do they care like hell they do.

Wish the goverment would catch themselves on - seen the form online, they already have all this information.. stupid.

cee_jay

There is a LOT of generalisations and general bashing of Social Welfare recipients going on in this thread. I would like to remind everyone of what IS and IS NOT acceptable on this forum. Please read the forum charter before posting.

mommysteph

Phone yesterday after 2pm... got the form today... and posted back straight away.
Form is very simple, all information the social already has. There will be a wait but the 6 week comment may just be to stop people from calling up all the time, to give themselves breathing space. Time to just wait.

scoobisnacks

mommysteph wrote: »

If you go to page one of the posts it tells all about limits - copied this for you..
''Income limit for Couple
Couple with: Income limit
1 child
€563.60
2 children
€593.40
3 children
€623.20
4 children
€653.00

You said 2 kids, 560 wages going by these figures you should qualify.. so do.

Once you apply for FIS you will be over the limit..but it is worth it.

I was sure that FIS did not count towards your income limit for the BTSCFA. It's on the welfare.ie website - neither does Child Benefit.

mommysteph

scoobisnacks wrote: »

I was sure that FIS did not count towards your income limit for the BTSCFA. It's on the welfare.ie website - neither does Child Benefit.

Can only go by my own experience a few years back. I was working, and had FIS but I also had LP.. I was told then the FIS did count, so it must have changed which is good, as I was over the limit by 2 euro.. but I could manage then so I was okay.

If the FIS is not counted even better... Best of luck.

egan2020

Are the income limits listed on the website gross or net?

jackmax

I would imagine they are net.

I am sending off my form tomorrow cos had to wait for my OH's payslip to come in and of course just cos I needed it for something it was delayed this week :mad:

I was just thinking too that maybe people who have had to apply can come back on here to update when they receive their payment, like how long it took to come? I will come on anyway and let ye know when (hopefully!!) I receive mine

LegacyUser

Hi, I haven't received any letter from department yet and because I got the payment last year and my circumstances havn't changed I should have had mine processed automatically this year. I rang the department and they informed me that if i hadn't received a letter by the end of June I would need to apply by application form..
So if you havn't had a letter sent out to you yet then get an application form asap!!

LegacyUser

Karen23 wrote: »

C.E participants dont qualify for Back to School Allowance , My dad recently finished his C.E and he qualified this year for the first time and I did C.E for two years and never got it.

no i think you can get the grant when you partner is on the ce scheme check it online on department of family and social affairs

keithzer

Did anyone get payment from this yet?

shreks donkey

Yeah I got mine the end of last month automatically with my weeky payment

keithzer

Is there anyone still waiting

mrsbyrne

keithzer wrote: »

Is there anyone still waiting

If you havnt received it and you think you might be entitled, here is the application form:
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Forms/Documents/BSCFA.pdf
print it off, fill it up, dont forget to enclose evidence, post it off asap, no stamp required.

keithzer

I sent off 2 weeks ago ill wait and see. Thanks for the reply's.

jackmax

I didn't get it automatically and sent off the form about 2 wks ago too and haven't heard anything yet heard it will take about 6 wks though I will let ye know when I hear something

LeGioN of PaddY

mommysteph wrote: »

I checked my account this morning, nothing... called the number which was posted here, and got a nasty man... swear you where asking him for the money.. refused to send me the form told me to download it and get on with it, said it would be september when I got if I qualified.

I called back to get the text number, got a woman.. she said I should have qualified but did.. and said that in fact 50% of persons whom should have got automatic payments didn't. She is sending me out a form, said they do hope to get through them but it could be 6 weeks or more.

I asked why they could not just automatically issue payment knowing that I qualify and was told it can not be done.

The 80% target... is at 30%...

Letters with forms attached should have been sent out to those the computer decided where not getting automatically.

Am very angry right now.. know 4 people whom did get, and all 4 sent the kids to the park and went to the pub..

I have had to borrow money against my child benefit to pay the school for uniforms... and then call ESB to pay my bill this month in installements as I now can not afford to pay them as I was from my child benefit.

Does the social actually care.. don't think they do... hope the form comes soon.

If everybody who gets treated in this way complains throught the correct channels. There is only so much a person can get away with, one or two complaints fine. But if this person continues to rack up complaints something will be done!
Well in the private sector anyway, public sector maybe????????

koptart

I got my letter today to say I got it after posting the form off on 30th June. I can collect it in the local Post office. I got it last year but didnt get it automatically this year. Myself and my husband are both on CE Schemes.

jackmax

oh thats great to hear they must be getting through them fast enough so, well faster than usual I sent mine off on the 4th of july cos I was waiting for my OH's wage slip so fingers crossed i will hear from them soon.
thanks for letting us know

mishboys

oh its great that people that have applied by form are getting payments..praying that i recieve mine this week..thanks for letting us know:):)

mommysteph

I got the form sent out on the 30th, and recieved the form the next day and posted the form same day.
I checked my back on Saturday and the payment was there, I recieved a letter yesterday to say that the payment was issued.. seems to be about 2 weeks.. which is really good.
I managed to get all the uniforms and shoes I needed, and the school was open so I went in and paid for the school uniform parts that had to be paid in school. Now all done, can relax.:D

mishboys

hi just wondering has anybody else recieved their payment that applied by form?? thanks.

Offy

mishboys wrote: »

hi just wondering has anybody else recieved their payment that applied by form?? thanks.

Not yet Im afraid.

jackmax

no i didnt get mine yet either. I rang them last thursday and they said mine wasnt processed yet :mad: