Humanitarian Assistance Scheme

The Emergency Response Payment (formerly the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme) provides short time immediate financial support to people whose homes are damaged by flooding or other severe weather events and who are not able to meet costs for essential needs, household items and, in some instances, structural repair. It is administered by the Community Welfare Service.

The payment helps meet the cost of essential needs and repairs rather than full compensation for losses or damage. The payment does not cover damage or losses that are insured under home insurance policies or would be reasonably expected to be insured.

The payment may cover:

• emergency support payments, such as food, clothing and bedding where loss is experienced through flooding or structural damage to your home due to a severe weather event
• damage to your home and its essential contents, such as carpets, flooring, furniture, household appliances and bedding
• structural damage

The payment does not cover:

• losses covered by an insurance policy, or which could reasonably be expected to have been covered by an insurance policy
• loss of items considered not essential, or luxury items
• commercial, agricultural or business losses
• structural loss or damage to rented accommodation
• any additional properties that are not occupied and lived in as the primary residence
• repair or replacement of motor vehicles

In dealing with emergency events the department generally adopts a three-stage approach as follows:

• Stage 1 provides emergency support payments (food/clothing/bedding) in emergency situations where people experience loss through flooding, or structural damage to their home due to a weather or other event with no income test applied. Applications for Stage 1 will close 7 calendar days after the end of the event. Applications after 7 calendar days will be processed as means tested Additional Needs Payment
• Stage 2 provides income-tested financial support to people for the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items where there is a valid reason why these were not covered by insurance and where the person can demonstrate that it is essential that the items are replaced and that they do not have the financial resources to cover these costs themselves. Applications for Stage 2 will close 3 months after the event.
• Stage 3 is also income-tested, and it covers costs for 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 re-wiring and painting. These costs are only covered if they are essential, result directly from damage caused by a severe weather 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. In cases of structural damage, the payment is designed to return a person’s home to a liveable condition. Applications for Stage 3 will close 6 months after the event.

Income limits for the payment are:

• €50,000 for a single person
• €90,000 for a couple
• €15,000 per each dependent child

All household income is considered in the income test. The basic principle of the income test for the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme is that individuals and families with average levels of income will qualify for assistance. You do not need to be getting a social welfare payment to qualify.

When you apply, you will be asked to provide personal and financial details for each person who lives in your home and explain their relationship to you.

If you are single

If you have a gross household income of €50,000 or less, you get 100% of the amount allowable.

For each whole €1,000 of household income above €50,000, you are required to make a 1% contribution to the amount allowable.

For example, if you are:

• Single, and
• Have a gross household income of €55,000

You get 95% of the amount allowable (€5,000 over the income limit of €50,000 = 5% personal contribution towards the loss).

If you are in a couple

If you are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting and have a combined gross household income of €90,000 or less, you get 100% of the amount allowable.

For each whole €1,000 of household income above €90,000, you are required to make a 1% contribution to the amount allowable.

For example, if you are:

• Married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting, and
• Have a combined gross household income of €105,000

You get 85% of the amount allowable (€15,000 over the income limit of €90,000 = 15% personal contribution to the loss).

Increases for qualified children

The income limits are increased by €15,000 for each qualified child.

One-parent household

The income limit for one-parent households is €90,000 plus €15,000 for each qualified child.

Non-dependent adult household members

For each non-dependent adult member of the household, 20% of their gross income is added to the household income.

For example, a household with a couple with a gross income of €85,000, and non-dependent adult with an income of €20,000 get 100% of the amount allowable as the total household income is less than €90,000 (€85,000 + €4,000 [€20,000 x 20%] = €89,000).

If you have no insurance

If you had no insurance and you do not have a good reason for not having insurance:

• You will be expected to contribute the first €2,000 toward the amount allowable, and
• Your personal contribution will be 2% for each whole €1,000 above the appropriate income level for your household

Reduced or tapered level of support may be provided in cases where your household income is above the limits.

Payments are based on an income test on all your household income, which measures your household’s ability to meet the costs of restoring your home to a liveable condition.

Income limits do not apply to payments made under Stage 1 of the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme.

For assistance with the costs of essential needs such as food, clothing, and bedding, please complete the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, Emergency Payment Stage 1 (HAS1) application form. Applications for Stage 1 will close 7 calendar days after the end of the event. Applications after 7 calendar days will be processed as means tested Additional Needs Payments.

For assistance with the replacement of household goods and/or the repair of structural damage, please complete the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS2) application form. Application for assistance with structural repair must be made by the registered owner of the property.

Applications for Stage 2 will close 3 months after the event.

Applications for Stage 3 will close 6 months after the event.

The rate of payment depends on the extent of the damage and your ability to meet the cost of repairs.

You can apply through Community Welfare Services. Learn how to access Community Welfare Services here.

Application forms are available to download here or from your local Intreo Centre or Branch Office.

Depending on your claim, you may also need to provide:

• evidence of household income (for example, pay slips)
• a copy of your insurance policy
• two itemised quotations for cost of structural repairs (building contractor, trades person etc)*
• estimates for replacement cost of household items*
• paid invoices or receipts*
• any other information which may support your claim

*All quotations/estimates/invoices/receipts must be from registered providers.