Special assistance

How does it work?

Special Assistance.

After your application, the municipality will investigate whether you meet all the Requirements . Do you (or your partner) have an income higher than the Social assistance benefit or do you have assets? If so, the municipality may decide that you must contribute to your costs yourself. After the assessment of your application, you will receive a letter from the municipality about your entitlement to special assistance.

The municipality will always answer four questions when assessing your entitlement to special assistance:

• Do you actually have expenses?
• Are the costs necessary?
• Did you incur the expense due to special circumstances?
• Can't pay the expenses from your income, individual income supplement or assets?

What costs can you think of, for example? Some examples are:

• heating costs, meal provision and clothing wear;
• social alarms;
• travel expenses for sick visits and/or visits to child in an institution by family members;
• lodging costs at the hospital / Ronald McDonald house;
• housing cost allowance rental or ownership property
• continued payment of fixed expenses such as rent, gas, water, electricity when temporarily admitted to a facility;
• debt administration, receivership and mentorship including intake, but excluding administration and postage costs;
• legal expenses;
• travel expenses for one visit per month to an inmate by partner, parents, and/or child(ren);
• funeral expenses;
• paint and wallpaper (as part of an application for furnishing expenses) for a home to be occupied in Kerkrade.

What is the amount of special assistance?

In principle, special assistance is equal to the costs you have, but the cheapest possible solution will always be sought. There may be a maximum reimbursement or a guide price for certain expenses. Sometimes you receive special assistance not in money, but in the form of goods or services. This is called assistance in kind.

What to do?

If you want to apply for special assistance, you can:

• Complete and submit the digital special assistance application form (log in with DigiD).
• Print and complete the above PDF files of the application form and information form. 
• pick up the application form and information form at the City Office, Markt 33 in Kerkrade.

Please send completed forms to the municipality at
Postbus 600, 6460 AP Kerkrade, or drop them off at the City Office.

Apply for special assistance before you incur the expenses. Otherwise, the municipality may reject your application.

Applying for special assistance digitally

What should I bring?

Bills, a quotation or any other evidence of the costs you are (or will be) incurring. Evidence of your income and assets will also be requested by the municipality.

How long does it take?

After making the application, you will receive written notification from the municipality within 8 weeks.

Additional information

Long-term costs

If you need to incur the same costs for a longer period of time, you can apply for it all at once. For example, with the costs you incur for the administrator.

Keep the evidence

Keep all bills and receipts safe! You will only receive special assistance if you can show that you actually incur the expenses.

More information can be found in the special assistance policy rule Kerkrade 2020.