An Application Form for the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (PDF 28KB) has now been published by the Department of Social & Family Affairs.

People in Cork and across the country who have suffered as a result of the recent flooding can apply under this scheme for this relief.

Information
The Government has allocated an initial sum of €10m to fund a Humanitarian Assistance Scheme. The scheme is being administered by the Community Welfare Service of the Health Service Executive on behalf of the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

The scheme, which is means tested, is intended to provide emergency financial assistance to households who are not in a position to meet costs for essential needs in the period immediately following flooding. The aim of the scheme is to provide financial support to people who have suffered damages to their home and in doing so provide hardship alleviation as opposed to full compensation.

Rules
The scheme will provide hardship alleviation assistance, as opposed to full compensation, to householders affected by the flooding. Eligibility will be subject to a means test

What is covered by the Scheme:
Emergency income support payments to those in need.
Damage to a person’s home and its basic essential contents, such as:
carpets,
flooring,
furniture,
household appliances and bedding.
Structural damage may also be considered.
Costs of medical treatment and supplies may also be considered in determining assistance where medical cover is not already in place i.e. private health insurance or medical card.

What is not covered under the Scheme:
Commercial and business losses.
Losses covered by an insurance policy.
Loss or damage to private rented accommodation or local authority accommodation

How will applications be prioritised?
In order to ensure that assistance is targeted at those most in need, applications will be initially assessed and prioritised on the basis of a means test.

In addition to the means test, other factors will also be considered by Community Welfare Service in assessing individual applications, including:
Whether the applicant is or was homeless as a result of the extreme event.
Family composition.
Age profile of family members i.e. babies, young children or elderly persons.
Availability of support from the wider family.
Persons with special needs due to illness or disabilities.
Ownership i.e. if the applicant is the tenant of the property, the owner would be responsible for repairs and replacement of essential household items. Humanitarian assistance may be considered in the case of a tenant’s personal belongings.
Adequacy and availability of insurance cover and to what extent the applicant’s losses are covered by insurance.

Means test
The basic principal of the means test will be to determine the household’s capacity to meet the costs of restoring their home to a habitable condition. All household income will be considered when determining entitlement to a payment. However account will be taken of your outgoings such as:
Rent or mortgage payments,
Loans
Travel to work costs

How much can be paid to individual applicants?
The Government has not set a limit on the amount that will be paid to an individual household under the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme.
Levels of payment will depend on the relative severity of damage experienced and the household’s ability to meet these costs.
Where structural work is an issue, the Community Welfare Service may get advice from a loss adjustor.
In assessing cases for humanitarian assistance, account will be taken of exceptional needs payments and urgent needs payments already paid out.

How to apply
To apply for Humanitarian Assistance you should complete Humanitarian Assistance application form (PDF 28KB). This form is available from either the Departments website or from your Local Community Welfare Office.

Completed application forms should be returned to your local Community Welfare Office. Where available it is essential that the following items be enclosed with your application:
Evidence of household Income (Payslips etc)
Estimates for repairs or replacement
A copy of your insurance policy
Paid Invoices/Receipts
Any other information which may support your claim.
When you visit your Community Welfare Office you should bring your PPS number and some form of identification.

If you are not satisfied with the decision
If you are not satisfied with the decision made in relation to your claim for Humanitarian Assistance you should first find out why the decision was made by asking the Community Welfare Officer. If you have any extra documentation to back up your case, give this to the Community Welfare Officer.

If you are still unhappy you can request to have your case reviewed by another officer.