The Regional Secretary for Social Solidarity presented today in Angra do Heroísmo a series of immediate measures to support the income of families, following the state of emergency declaration due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Regarding the support to families, Andreia Cardoso announced the creation of a disposable income support supplement for families receiving family and parental allowances provided for in Decree Law 10-A/2020 of March 13. 

“This regional aid is directed to employees and self-employed workers with children under 12 years of age, who are absent from work due to the suspension of teaching and non-teaching activities in schools or the closure of early childhood and disability centres," stressed the government official. 

The Regional Secretary also stated that families in which one of the spouses is an employee or self-employed worker receiving a parental allowance will benefit from support amounting to 150 Euros per month. 

"This is a measure intended to contribute to the stability of the household income of all Azoreans who are absent from work to care for their children," added the government official.

The second measure announced by the Regional Secretary provides for a 30% increase in the lease support allocated to about 1,600 Azorean families benefiting from the Lease Incentive Scheme in order to anticipate any income shortfalls during the months of April, May and June.

"Given that the aid granted under the Lease Incentive Scheme may reach 70% of the lease amount under the current legislation, this additional support will cover 100% of the lease amount in the case of some beneficiaries during these three months," assured the Regional Secretary. 
 
Andreia Cardoso also announced that the Regional Government has decided to postpone for three months the payment of rents owed by nearly 500 Azorean families covered by the Lease with Purchase scheme, taking into account that many of them work in the most affected sectors. 

"During the months of April, May and June, these families may choose to suspend the payment of their monthly rent, resuming payments after this period," added the government official. 

The Regional Government has also determined the exemption of rents owed by Azorean families covered by the Supported Lease (social housing) scheme for the next three months, a measure that aims to support about 1,800 families facing socio-economic difficulties. 

It has also decided to extend the exemption from the payment of monthly fees in daycare centres, kindergartens, nanny services, free time occupation centres, day and night centres, and occupational activity centres for the duration of the closure of these social services. This measure will cover more than 13,600 people. 

Additionally, the programme for the provision of school meals during holidays and school breaks will be extended until the regular functioning of schools is resumed, a measure that covers about 285 families throughout the Region. 

Within the scope of extraordinary measures to face the COVID-19 pandemic, the Regional Secretary mentioned that the suspension of attachment procedures was authorised until the cessation of the emergency situation of prevention, containment, mitigation and management of infection with SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. 

The government official also added that, given these exceptional circumstances, the Regional Government has requested the respective banking entities to suspend all attachment procedures in force for an indefinite period of time, which will be resumed on a date to be announced in due course. 

"This measure will enable taxpayers to continue their activities as well as their basic daily needs," stressed Andreia Cardoso.