Back-to-school allowance: the Senate includes prior consultation
The Senate included in the social security financing bill the promised prior consultation on back-to-school allowance reform, targeting 600 million euros.
Senators have written into the social security financing bill the principle of prior consultation on the reform of the back-to-school allowance. This…
The stakes are sensitive. This sum represents a quarter of the allowance's total budget, paid each summer to low-income families subject to a means…
Given the scale of the projected savings, senators wanted to set down in black and white, in the social security financing bill, the principle of…
Senators have written into the social security financing bill the principle of prior consultation on the reform of the back-to-school allowance. This inclusion restates a government commitment to revise this benefit in order to save 600 million euros.
The stakes are sensitive. This sum represents a quarter of the allowance's total budget, paid each summer to low-income families subject to a means test to cover expenses related to children's schooling. The outlines of the reform remain unknown.
Given the scale of the projected savings, senators wanted to set down in black and white, in the social security financing bill, the principle of this promised prior consultation on the project.
The reform must therefore be subject to prior consultation, in line with the government commitment now written into the text. Its parameters, however, are still not known.
Dig deeper
What is the back-to-school allowance?
It is an allowance paid each summer, subject to a means test, to low-income families for expenses related to children's schooling. Its total budget is targeted for savings of 600 million euros, or about one quarter.
What is the Senate?
It is the upper house of the French Parliament, which notably examines the social security financing bill and can write principles into it, such as, here, that of prior consultation.
What is the PLFSS?
The social security financing bill sets each year the budgetary framework and certain rules for social benefits, including the back-to-school allowance.
Why does this consultation matter?
The outlines of the reform remain unknown even though the targeted savings are substantial: senators wanted to write into the text the government's commitment to consult before deciding.
What remains to be specified?
The parameters of the reform are still unknown: prior consultation must precede their definition, in line with the commitment now written into the PLFSS.