Each year, in France, nearly 3 million families benefit from the back-to-school allowance, or around 5 million children. This aid granted by the State aims to help families cope with the peak in back-to-school expenses. However, some members of the government claim that its use is quite different.
The back-to-school allowance is a means-tested benefit paid by the Family Allowance Fund (CAF) or the Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA), the objective of which is to help parents meet the expenses of the family. their child’s return to school.
Subject to a means limit, the benefit varies according to the number of dependent children and household income.
For the year 2021, we must take into account the categorical net income of 2019.
To be a beneficiary of this aid:
- If you have a dependent child, your income must be less than € 25,319 per year.
- If you have two dependent children, they must be less than € 31,162 per year.
- If you have three dependent children, less than € 37,005 per year.
- And if you have more than 3 children, you can, for each additional dependent child, add € 5,843 to your annual income each time.
For families eligible for this assistance, the amount of the ARS is progressive according to the age group of the children: for this start of the 2021 school year, it amounts to
- 370.31 euros per child, if they are aged 6 to 10,
- 390.74 euros for 11 to 14 year olds,
- And 404.28 euros for teenagers aged 15 to 18.
ARS for shopping for pleasure?
Although this aid is intended for back-to-school expenses, some members of the government have expressed doubts about its use, which would not always be for the benefit of children. This is particularly the case of Jean Michel Blanquer, the Minister of National Education: “We know very well, if we face it, that there are larger purchases of flat screens in September than at other times. “, he said in an interview with France 3.
But the minister is not the only one to have this opinion, Perrine Goulet, Modem deputy of Nièvre also affirmed: “What we see is that its use is ultimately not always dedicated to children. “
This Thursday, September 2, Emmanuel Macron said to himself:
“We would be blind or naive to think that all of what each household receives in back-to-school allowance is donated to buy supplies or children’s books,” Emmanuel Macron said after visiting a school in a working-class district of Marseille. There should be no stigmatization, but it is important for parliamentarians to check that taxpayers’ money is going to the right place, I think it is public health ”
Yet the Family Allowance Fund immediately denied these assumptions and mentions that, in the vast majority of cases, purchases do take place to equip the children for their return to school.
To ensure that expenses are not made for pleasure purchases, several members of the government have proposed that the ARS be paid to families in the form of vouchers or vouchers. Thus the financial aid can be used only for stationery or for financing the canteen, the sports license.
However, no change is currently envisaged.