Q. My roof was damaged during Storm Éowyn. Someone said there is a fund I could access called the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, how can I find out if I would be eligible?
No doubt lots of people across the county are finding themselves in a similar position. If your home has been affected by a severe weather event, the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme can provide emergency financial help.
There are three stages to the scheme. The first is ‘immediate need’, emergency support payment to help pay for food, clothing, personal items, and alternative accommodation if you need it. This is not means tested.
The second, for damage to essential items and contents, can be accessed for replacing white goods (fridge, freezer), flooring, basic furniture, and other essential household items, and is means tested.
The final stage ,longer-term financial support for structural damage, includes plastering, dry lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting, and is also means tested.
The scheme helps you meet the cost of essential needs and repairs, rather than provide full compensation for losses or damage. It is administered by the Community Welfare Service.
It’s worth noting that it doesn’t not cover losses covered by an insurance policy; loss of items considered not essential or luxury items; commercial and business losses; or loss or damage to private rented accommodation or local authority accommodation
The first stage is open to all homeowners, while to qualify for stages two and three, your household’s income is assessed to decide whether you can meet the cost, or some of the cost, of restoring your home to a habitable condition. The include limits are €50,000 for a single person, €90,000 for a couple, and €15,000 per dependent child. You do not have to be getting a social welfare payment to qualify.
To apply for stage one payments, you can fill out a HAS1 form and return it to your Community Welfare Officer at you Community Welfare Service. For stage two and three, a HAS2 form can go to the same palce.
Applications for assistance with structural repairs should be made by the registered owner of the property, and all applications should include: evidence of household income, estimates for repairs or replacement, two itemised quotations for cost of structural repairs, a copy of your insurance policy, paid invoices or receipts, and any other information which may support your claim.
