THERE are a number of little-known social welfare payments that thousands impacted by the big freeze can avail of.
Whether your home has been damaged by snowfall, ice, floods or other severe weather events, there are payments households can apply for.
Temperatures plunged to -8C overnight, and are expected to hit -7C again tonight, with a status yellow low temperature/ice warning in place for every county until 12pm tomorrow.
The 13-hour alert kicks in at 7pm tonight and warns of “extremely cold” conditions with widespread severe frost and ice, along with lying snow in some areas and patches of freezing fog.
Met Eireann has slapped Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Cavan, Monaghan, Galway, Roscommon, Leitrim, Donegal and Tipperary with a fresh Status Orange low temperature and ice warning.
The 13-hour alert kicks in at 7pm tonight and warns of “extremely cold” conditions with widespread severe frost and ice, along with lying snow in some areas and patches of freezing fog.
And with conditions across the worst-hit areas continuing to be “treacherous”, four different schemes are available to help provide support to those living in properties directly impacted by bad weather.
The Department of Social Protection has reminded the public that if anyone “affected by severe weather needs to access emergency financial supports” you can contact their Community Welfare Service”.
The Community Welfare Service provides financial assistance to people whose means are insufficient to meet their needs.
They also provide financial assistance to those facing a “significant and unavoidable cost that they cannot meet using their normal sources of income.”
This scheme operates across all areas of the country and is available to anyone in need of it.
To apply, you must meet with a Community Welfare Officer to make a claim, but this is not always necessary.
Applications for this can be posted or dropped into your local Intreo Centre or Branch Office.
You can also get in contact with the Community Welfare Service using the dedicated email available on each Intreo Centre and Branch Office listing.
There are currently 51 Intreo Centres across the country which work in both in-person and emergency meetings.
Payments available through Community Welfare Services include the Additional Needs Payment, Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance, Supplementary Welfare Allowance Supplements and Rent Supplement.
Additional Needs Payment
The Additional Needs Payment is for those who have essential expenses that you cannot pay from your weekly income or other personal and household resources.
You can avail of this even if you are not already getting a social welfare payment.
This may also be available to you if you are working and on a low income, regardless of the number of hours that you work.
This payment covers:
- the increased cost of heating and electricity
- essential repairs to property and replacing household appliances and furniture
- assistance with deposits for private rented accommodation
- furniture, bedding and other items if you are setting up a home for the first time
- funeral costs
- recurring travel expenses such as for hospital appointments or visiting relatives in hospital or prison
- child related items such as prams/buggies and cots, and essential child safety equipment
- assistance with immediate needs such as food, clothing and accommodation expenses following an emergency event such as a house fire
- other additional exceptional needs as they happen
It does not cover non-essential household or personal expenses, or costs that are the responsibility of another government department or agency.
There is no set payment as this will depend on your current working hours.
Anyone on social welfare payments or working and getting a low income may qualify.
It takes on board your weekly household income, your savings and investments, your household expenses.
The quickest and easiest way to apply online is at MyWelfare.ie.
Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance
The Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance is a weekly allowance to those who do not have enough income to meet their needs and those of their families.
You can qualify for this if you have no income, your weekly income is below the SWA rate or if you have claimed a social welfare benefit or pension but it has not yet been paid and you have no other income.
In the last circumstance, the amount paid will be paid while you are waiting will be deducted from the arrears of your social welfare payment.
You will qualify for Supplementary Welfare Allowance if you satisfy the following conditions:
- you are living in the State
- you satisfy the SWA means assessment
- you have applied for any other benefit or allowance you may be entitled to
- you have registered for work with your local Intreo Centre if you are of working age
- you satisfy the habitual residence condition
- EU/EEA and Swiss migrant workers who have been working in Ireland can access basic SWA and supplements without having habitual residence assessed, provided they have the right to reside in Ireland. However, people from the EU/EEA or Switzerland who move to Ireland in search of employment are subject to the habitual residence test in the normal way while looking for work
You can apply through Community Welfare Services.
Supplementary Welfare Allowance Supplements
This payment is made to assist anyone with ongoing additional expenses which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
To be eligible, you must be receipt of a social welfare or HSE payment.
You may also be eligible for a SWA supplement if you:
- are living in the State
- satisfy the habitual residence condition
- satisfy a means test (all capital or property, except your home, is assessed in the means test)
Rent Supplement
The Rent Supplement is a payment for those living in private rented housing who cannot provide for the cost of their housing.
Previously, you could apply if you were qualified for social housing support and were on the local authority’s housing list.
People here now can apply for the Housing Assistance Payment.
To qualify, the officer dealing with the case must be satisfied that you are in a lawful tenancy and received the payment within 12 months of application.
They may instead be satisfied that you were living in private rented housing for a period of 183 days within the previous 12 months of the date of claim for Rent Supplement.
If you need help with your rent but you don’t meet these conditions, you should contact your local authority to have your housing needs assessed.
