<h2 class="p" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
	Cuts in back-to-school clothing and footwear allowances have forced parents to turn to charities looking for help to meet costs.</h2>
<div>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		The St Vincent de Paul Society says it has noticed a &quot;significant&quot; increase this year in calls from families and the single biggest contributory factor cited is the cut to the clothing and footwear allowance.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		This year the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance has fallen a further &euro;50 from last year and now stands at &euro;100 for children aged between four and 11. This is a reduction of &euro;100 in two years.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		The payment for dependent children aged between 12 and 22 has also dropped further to &euro;200 from &euro;350. &quot;It&#39;s hitting hardest families that have two children going to secondary school that have seen their payments drop by &euro;300,&quot; the charity&#39;s spokesman said.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;">
		<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/parents-turn-to-charities-after-allowance-cut-29538380.html">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/parents-turn-to-charities-after-allowance-cut-29538380.html</a></p>
</div>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
