2022 BACK TO SCHOOL ALLOWANCE. This Tuesday, August 16, 2022, is a big day for French families. Indeed, it is that of the payment of the back-to-school allowance (ARS). We will explain everything to you.
[Mis à jour le 16 août 2022 à 10h33] The school holidays are coming to an end… There are only two weeks left before the students return to class. And who says back to school, says purchase of supplies. This Tuesday, August 16, 2022 is therefore a particularly important day for families since the back-to-school allowance (ARS) 2022 will be paid. Beneficiaries of this aid will be able to make purchases related to the start of the school year for their children. People residing in Mayotte or Reunion have already received this back-to-school bonus on August 2. Indeed, the start of the school year takes place earlier in these overseas territories.
While France is facing high inflation, 6.1% over one year in July, according to INSEE, the amount of the back-to-school allowance is increased by 4% in 2022, confirms the Ministry of Solidarity. Indeed, within the framework of the law for purchasing power, the government has voted to increase certain social benefits by the CAF. The ARS is one of them. Beneficiaries of the back-to-school allowance will receive the usual amount on August 16, then the 4% increase will be paid to everyone a few days later (early September). Obtaining the allowance, amount increased in 2022, resource ceiling… Here is what you need to know about the back-to-school allowance.
This year, the back-to-school allowance will be paid to beneficiaries in mid-August, as usual. The official payment date has been confirmed by the government through the Ministry of Solidarity: it will be August 16, 2022. This back-to-school bonus is paid automatically to eligible households registered with CAF. If you are not registered with the CAF, you must however provide a file via the online forms available on the CAF website or go to your cash register.Family allowances.
As a reminder, the amount of the ARS was increased by 4% this year as part of the purchasing power law, a measure announced this summer after a first increase of more than 1% recorded in the spring. This increase in the back-to-school bonus will represent an additional gain of 15 euros for the case of a child aged 6 to 10, the ARS going from 376.98 euros for a child between 6 and 10 years old or younger, but making its entry into CP at 392.05 euros. The government has in fact included the back-to-school allowance in the project for the revaluation of social benefits contained in the purchasing power law. Adopted on August 3, 2022 by the deputies of the National Assembly, this point led to a 4% increase in the amount of the back-to-school allowance. Thus, the 2022 back-to-school bonus will amount to:
- Child from 6 to 10 years old: 392.05 euros.
- Child from 11 to 14 years old: 413.69 euros.
- Child from 15 to 18 years old: 428.02 euros.
The steps to apply for a back-to-school allowance depend on your situation and the age of your child. In some cases, you do not have to take any prior steps, the Caf takes care of the payment automatically. Here are the situations that may arise:
- You are a recipient and are eligiblethe back-to-school bonus is paid automatically for your children who will be aged 6 to 15 on 31 December following the start of the school year.
- You are not a beneficiary of the Caf : go to the “Online services” section, then click on “Make a service request”, and “Back to school allowance”. You will then need to print the dedicated form and return it completed to your Caf.
- If your child starts first grade in September, but will not be six until 2023, it is necessary to think of recovering a certificate of schooling near the establishment. You must send it to the Caf to benefit from the back-to-school bonus.
For teenagers aged 16 to 18, only a sworn statement assuring that the child is well educated is sufficient. “The Caf will contact you in July by email or post to invite you to take this step”, we explain on the dedicated page of the Family Allowance Fund.
To benefit from the CAF back-to-school allowance, you must meet a certain number of conditions. Linternaute.com summarizes them in three key points:
- Your income must not exceed a ceiling (read below), determined according to the number of dependent children.
- Your Child must be between 6 and 18 years old.
- The child must also be educated in a public or private establishment. Forget the back-to-school bonus if you opted for homeschooling. Be aware, however, that the allowance can be granted when the child follows courses via a distance organization such as the Cned. Is your child under 18 and learning? You can receive the ARS, provided that its remuneration does not exceed 55% of the minimum wage.
If you do not meet the income conditions for the back-to-school allowance, in other words your resources slightly exceed the ceilings set out above, the Caf may pay part of the back-to-school bonus. This is called a differential back-to-school allowance. The Caf can agree to pay the back-to-school allowance, provided that the resources are lower “to the accumulation between the ceiling of the ARS and the amount of this aid for the child”, we were told in 2021. In this case, the home therefore only receives part of this financial assistance.
To benefit from the back-to-school allowance, the household’s resources must not exceed a ceiling. The CAF does not study the income of the current year, but those dating back two years, depending on your family situation to July 31. Here is the scale that will apply in this year 2022, and based on your income for the year 2020:
- For a household with 1 dependent child: €25,370
- 2 dependent children: €31,225
- 3 dependent children: €37,080
- Per additional dependent child: €5,852