Need Emergency Financial Assistance? These Resources Can Help
You wouldn’t be alone if you’ve ever found yourself worrying about how to get help with bills or other emergency expenses that pop up out of the blue. According to this Independent article, one in four Irish households are behind on their gas bill.
We understand how difficult it can be to get help with finances, but know there is hope. There are resources available to you if you need emergency financial assistance and aren’t sure how to get rid of debt. Learn more about the ways you can find your way back from a personal financial crisis through government assistance, nonprofit programs, and online fundraising.
What to do when a financial crisis strikes
During a financial crisis, reviewing your financial help options is important to avoid the pitfalls of credit card billing, predatory lenders, and other harmful debt relief solutions. Follow these tips:
Stay calm: Easier said than done, but try to overcome feelings of panic and hopelessness and list ways to find emergency cash assistance through legitimate avenues.
Know your priorities: Reassess your budget and prioritise your spending. Look for ways to cut non-essential expenses to an absolute minimum.
Ask for help: Seek advice from friends and family you trust and ask how to get financial help for your situation. They can offer a few ways to get emergency financial assistance.
Programs that provide emergency financial assistance
Even with a new budget and a renewed focus, a financial emergency can still make it incredibly difficult to pay monthly bills and stay out of debt. If you’re still struggling to pay for expensive medical treatments, cope with unpaid maternity leave, or deal with any other unexpected costs, there are public and private programs that can help you regain your footing.
Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) Scheme
The Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme is like an extra safety net in the Irish welfare system. It helps to further provide assistance to those in the welfare system who need it to support themselves or their dependants.
Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance
Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance is a weekly sum which is paid to those who need help or don’t have enough income to meet their needs. You may be eligible for the Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance if you have no income or if your income is below the Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate for your family. It is assessed on a means assessment, you must live in the state to be eligible and you must have registered for work.
Additional Needs Payments
An Additional Needs payment is there to support if you have an outgoing which you can’t afford from your weekly income or other personal resources. Even if you’re not getting a social welfare payment, you may be able to get an additional needs payment for things like:
- Heating and electricity bills
- Essential repairs to property
- Assistance with deposits
- Furniture and other items to set up a home
- Child related costs
- Immediate assistance for things like food
Rent Supplement
Rent Supplement is a payment that can be provided to those who are living in private rental accommodation but cannot afford the rent. The sum provided is determined by a number of different factors including how much your rent is and how much you are earning. A single person’s weekly minimum is around €30, where a couple could get €40 as a minimum.
SWA Supplements
Supplementary Welfare Allowance Supplements are payments which are ongoing to a person who has expenses that they could not reasonably expect to afford out of their weekly income. They are means tested and you may not meet the criteria if you have access to other resources to help with what you need to afford, are in full time work or full time education.
Charities that provide financial assistance
There are also numerous nonprofit programs and grants that aim to help people with everything from food and housing to childcare.
Nonprofit food assistance programs
- Crosscare Ireland is a charity dedicated to providing solutions to those experiencing food poverty. They also have a cafe serving healthy, affordable and accessible food in Dublin.
- Dublin Simon Community is a foodbank which provides 1,000 meals a day to those who need them across Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Meath, Louth and Cavan.
- COPE Galway also provides foodstuffs to families and individuals who are in urgent need of it through the EU-wide FEAD programme, which aims to pull people out of food poverty in a sustainable way.
Nonprofit help with utilities
If you need extra help with utilities, there are charities like Society of St Vincent de Paul which can help. The SVP saw a 40% increase in people asking for help with energy bills in 2022 – plus a 20% increase in requests for help overall, which indicates that more people are struggling with the cost of living. If you’re struggling with energy bills, you can email SVP and ask for help – they consider each on a case by case basis.
Nonprofit housing assistance for mortgage and rent costs
If you’re struggling with mortgage or rent costs, there are also places you can go to ask for help. Citizens Advice is a good place to start if you’re concerned about rent costs rising in an unaffordable way, for example. We’ve got a full blog post here on getting help with rent and housing costs to help.
If you need financial relief, crowdfunding can help
Countless people who need help in an emergency have turned to crowdfunding to help. It’s free to set up a GoFundMe page and is a safe, secure and easy way to ask for help – which many people will want to give. You can start a GoFundMe for almost any reason and raise any amount, with the option to be flexible with your target should you meet it.
It’s easy to start a GoFundMe, you just need to consider your fundraising title, choose a picture to help to illustrate your plight and tell your story.
Rest assured, emergency fundraising for housing costs, utilities, medical bills, and everything in between is easy with GoFundMe. We offer a simple set-up process, 24/7 customer support, and a blog full of fundraising tips and ideas, like how to share offline through texting or WhatsApp.
It’s completely understandable to feel a sense of regret or guilt when reaching out for assistance during a financial crisis. However, it’s important to remember that those closest to you genuinely care about your well-being and want to see you succeed. Accepting help from those who love you can make all the difference in getting through this challenging time.
Get financial help now
When you’re unsure how to apply for emergency financial help and feel like you’ve reached a roadblock, GoFundMe is here for you. If you haven’t already, start a fundraiser and get support from the community around you to overcome this crisis.