STORY: French government to pay back-to-school allowances to 3 mln families
DATELINE: Aug. 12, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:12
LOCATION: LYON, France
CATEGORY: SOCIETY
 
SHOTLIST:
1. various of school supplies in a store
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): CELINE, Parent
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (French): GERALDINE, Parent
4. various of school supplies
 
STORYLINE:
 
While the start of the school year will take place on Sept. 4 in France, the government will pay back-to-school allowances (ARS) on Aug. 16 to help low-income families buy school supplies. 

It will be paid on August 16 to 3 million families.

To benefit from the ARS, the child must be between six and 18 years old on Dec. 31 of the school year and be enrolled in a public or private establishment.

This financial aid of around 400 euros depending on the age of the child has been increased by 5.6 percent compared to 2022.

Granted subject to resources, this back-to-school financial aid amounts this year to 398.09 euros for children aged 6 to 10, 420.05 euros for children aged 11 to 14, and 434.61 euros for teenagers from 15 to 18 years old. 

This aid is conditioned by an income ceiling calculated on the income of 2021: the limit has been set at 25,775 euros for a family with a dependent child.

Half of the families receiving the allowance are single parents, and 75 percent of them do not receive contributions to school expenses from the other parent.

SOUNDBITE 1 (French): CELINE, Parent
"I have two children, a small one for whom there is only a school bag, so 15 or 20 euros. For the big one, there are binders and pockets. I think we will get 50 or 60 euros."

SOUNDBITE 2 (French): GERALDINE, Parent
"It's a budget. We have a principle of recycling. We have a large cupboard where everyone comes to help themselves and we only buy back what is essential, absolutely essential."

Introduced in its current form in the 1990s, the back-to-school allowance has been systematically paid by all French governments. 

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Lyon, France.
(XHTV)