Filenews 11 August 2024 - by Eleftheria Paizanou
The way material goods are provided to applicants for international protection is changing. In particular, the state decided to replace with credit cards the cash it provides to beneficiaries for their basic needs.
Already, the Social Welfare Services have announced a tender for the provision of prepaid card issuance services, which will be granted to applicants. Essentially, the way material reception conditions are provided to applicants for international protection will be replaced with the use of a prepaid card instead of cash and cheques currently used.
The process is part of a series of measures aimed at modernising the system for providing material reception conditions.
Upon conclusion of the contract, the state will proceed with the purchase of banking, financial, insurance and investment services. The tender has been announced through the electrical system of the General Accounting Office e-procurement and interested parties can show interest until September 23.
The material conditions are provided by the Social Welfare Services and include four types of assistance. They include financial assistance to cover basic needs (food, clothing and footwear) and financial assistance to cover personal small expenses, including electricity and water costs. The amount of the financial allowance to cover small personal expenses is determined according to the place of residence of the applicant. It also includes financial assistance to cover rent allowance to the owner of rented premises, as well as rent deposit.
It is worth noting that the amount of material reception conditions is determined on the basis of a decision of the Council of Ministers on the coverage of material reception conditions for applicants for international protection.
The amount offinancial assistance
The amounts are determined on the basis of the number of family members, are maximum and may not be exceeded under any circumstances. For example, in case of a family of one person the food, clothing and footwear allowance is €186, electricity, water and other small expenses when a rental contract is €75 and without a contract €28. Also, the rent allowance for one person amounts to €100 and is the same for all cities. That is, the amount of material conditions is a total of €361 per month.
In case of a family of two persons, an amount of €279 is paid for food, clothing, etc., €100 for electricity and other expenses when there is a rental contract and €37 without. At the same time, this couple can receive a rent allowance of €200 if they rent in Nicosia, €218 if they rent in Limassol, €174 if they rent in Larnaca and €146 if they rent in Paphos and Famagusta. That is, this couple receives a maximum amount of €597 per month.
In case of a family of three, the amount of expenses for food and clothing is €372 per month, €140 for electricity and other expenses when there is a rental contract and €52 without. The rent allowance in Nicosia for this family is €290, for Limassol €317, for Larnaca €252, for Paphos and Famagusta €211. The monthly assistance received by the family of three will be up to €764.
For a family of four, an amount of €465 is granted for food, €170 for electricity, while the amount of rent is at the same levels as those received by a family of three. The financial support of this family can reach up to €952 per month.
In the case of a family of five, €558 are paid to cover food and clothing expenses, €200 for electricity and other expenses, while the rent allowance if they live in Nicosia is €364, in Limassol €397, in Larnaca €315 and in Paphos and Famagusta €265. The total amount granted to a family of five is up to €1,155.
According to relevant data, in the last four years the state has paid more than €500 million for expenses related to migration and asylum and international protection status. This year, by the end of the year, it is estimated that €104 million will be spent.
