Households affected by the recent flash flooding in Co Kerry are able to apply for financial support, the Department of Social Protection has said.
The Emergency Response Payment, formerly the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, will be used to support those directly affected by the floods. Applications for the payment are open until September 6th.
The scheme’s function is to help repair homes damaged from severe weather events and help those who are unable to meet emergency costs for essential needs, household items and, in some instances, structural repair.
The scheme does not provide a general compensation payment for damage or losses incurred as a consequence of a weather event, nor does it cover damage or losses that are insured under home insurance policies or would reasonably be expected to have been covered by an insurance policy.
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Commercial, agricultural or business losses are also not covered.
Stage one of the scheme is designed to “address hardship” in the immediate aftermath of emergency events. It provides emergency payments to cover items such as food, clothing, bedding and essential personal items for immediate use. This is not income tested.
Stage two involves the replacement of white goods – washing machines and fridges, basic furniture items and other essential household items where there is a valid reason why these were not covered by insurance.
“A person should demonstrate that it is essential that the items are replaced and that they do not have the financial resources to cover these costs themselves,” the department said.
Stage three covers costs of essential structural repairs to a person’s primary residence where the person does not have the resources to cover the costs involved. The type of repairs includes plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical rewiring and painting.
These costs are only covered if they are “essential, result directly from damage caused by the emergency event and there are valid reasons as to why household insurance was not in place”. All costs are subject to expert assessment by a loss adjuster.
Income testing does apply to stages two and three of the scheme. However, the income test for the Emergency Response Payment is more generous than that applied under means-tested social welfare payments in general.
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The income limits for stages two and three of the scheme are €50,000 for a single person, €90,000 for a couple and €15,000 per dependent child.
Reduced or tapered levels of support may be provided in cases where a household’s income is above the limits. The basic principle of the income test is that individuals and families with average levels of income will qualify for assistance, which includes non-social welfare recipients.
