Press release
Minister Humphreys confirms that Humanitarian Assistance is available to householders affected by Storm Fergus in Leitrim
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys has confirmed that the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme is available to provide support to those living in properties directly affected by Storm Fergus and the tornado in Leitrim.
The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme prevents hardship by providing income-tested financial support to people whose homes are damaged from flooding and severe weather events and who are unable to meet costs for essential needs, household items and structural repair.
Commenting this morning, Minister Humphreys said:
“I saw the shocking scenes yesterday of the effect of the tornado in Leitrim Village during Storm Fergus and the damage this has caused to people’s homes and properties.
“Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was in Leitrim Village today to see the damage caused and I can now confirm that the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme is open and support is available.
“If any homeowner affected by severe weather needs to access these supports, they can contact the Community Welfare Service by phoning 0818 60 70 80.
Recently the Minister secured increases in the income limits for the scheme from:
In dealing with emergency events the department generally adopts a three-stage approach as follows:
Levels of payment under the scheme depend on the relative severity of damage experienced and the household’s ability to meet these costs, ensuring that the funding is appropriately targeted.
The income test for Humanitarian Assistance is more generous than that applied under means tested Social Welfare payments in general. The basic principle of the income test is that individuals and families with average levels of income will qualify for assistance, including non-Social Welfare recipients.
The scheme does not cover risks that are already covered by insurance policies or cover business or commercial losses. It provides targeted assistance to those whose homes are affected.