Claims Conference

The AJR is the partner organisation in the UK of The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (THE CLAIMS CONFERENCE) which works to secure compensation and restitution for survivors of the Holocaust and heirs of victims.

Since 1951, the Claims Conference – working in partnership with the State of Israel – has negotiated for and distributed payments from Germany and Austria, as well as other governments and industry. It has also recovered unclaimed German Jewish property and funded programs to assist the neediest Jewish victims of Nazism.In Great Britain, the AJR receives and distributes (on behalf of an ad-hoc Umbrella Group committee) funds from allocated to survivors living in this country.Along with AJR the UK Umbrella Group agencies are Agudas Israel, Bikur Cholim, North London Bikur Cholim and Jewish Care.

The AJR administers the Homecare scheme on behalf of the UK Umbrella Group agencies. Financed by the German Government, the objective of the scheme is to assist clients to live in their homes for as long as possible.The Holocaust Survivor Emergency Fund allows for awards in the UK to pay for a number of services and needy items including dental treatment and specialist clothing as well as urgent house repairs, hearing aids and medical consultations. The Austrian Emergency Fundprovides financial assistance to Austrian Holocaust survivors with low incomes who require urgent medical attention or essential welfare services. Eligibility is restricted to Austrian Holocaust survivors and refugees (including spouses of Austrian nationals) who live on low incomes and who have limited capital holdings.

Thanks to funding received by The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) from the Claims Conference following their negotiations with the German government, Holocaust survivors and refugees living anywhere in the UK are eligible to receive up to 24-hour care to help alleviate their welfare needs and to enable them to live in dignity, comfort and security in their own homes.

Through the Homecare scheme, the AJR is able to substantially defray care costs from an exclusive fund, which is part of an overall allocation supporting UK Jewish Nazi victims. Other funding is available to contribute towards the costs of food, medicine and transport, and also for help with dental and hearing problems, minor home adaptations and the purchase of ‘white goods’.

With the number of hours of care awarded based on assessments and a person’s wartime experience, AJR Homecare can allocate at least 100 hours per week of care to those with the highest needs.

Although there is a means test to be eligible, the value of a person’s home is not taken into consideration and each individual refugee can hold £768,000 of assets per survivor. Equally, any income from pensions, whether private, reparations or social security, is disregarded. This assistance is exclusively for those who experienced Nazi oppression and most refugees and survivors in need of support would be eligible. However, non-refugee or non-survivor spouses and descendants are not eligible.

As part of the registration process and in any follow up assessment, the AJR will also check whether the applicant is eligible for any missing reparations provided by the Claims Conference and ensure that the applicant is receiving the maximum available support from their local authority. Once funding is approved, the survivor and their family will continue to be supported by the AJR’s team of dedicated and professional social workers.

With around 360 refugees and survivors already supported through AJR Homecare and more than 50 new first generation clients registered during the current year, we are confident in our support of this unique community but we want to ensure that everyone with a need is provided for. As it can take a few weeks to obtain approval from the Claims Conference, we are reaching out to refugee and survivor and partner organisations to encourage them to register members now, so that any help can be provided immediately when needed.

Any questions or referrals are treated in strictest confidence and can be sent to Rebecca Webb or Leah McKay