The AJR offers advice and assistance with claims for Holocaust era compensation and the restitution of appropriated assets. As well as guidance on enquiries about pensions, property and insurance policies, help is available with applications for lump sum reparations paid by individual governments or commissions.The AJR works closely with the UK Envoy for Post Holocaust Issues, Sir Eric Pickles, to raise awareness of outstanding restitution and compensation matters.
We are proud that alongside delivering guidance and advice, we have worked with the British government to ensure that certain compensation awards are exempt from income, capital gains and inheritance taxes and that lump sum compensations are disregarded when calculating entitlement to social security benefits.
We also worked closely with the British Bankers Association, which has developed guidelines on the refunding of bank charges applied to the remittance of Holocaust-era reparations and pensions.
Although the deadlines for many reparation schemes have expired it is still possible to apply to certain programmes.Please note that no responsibility can be taken for rejected or unsuccessful claims.
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Self-Aid is allocated at the discretion of AJR Trustees to assist AJR members on low incomes and / or with limited means. Self-Aid constitutes a monthly grant with additional holiday grants paid at specific times of the year: a winter-fuel payment and awards made to mark certain Jewish festivals: Passover, Rosh Hashanah and Chanukah.Whilst the scheme is not strictly means tested, a persons income, savings and expenditure are all taken into account when assessing eligibility. Also considered is the possibility of any private or family financial assistance and whether there are national welfare benefits from which a person might also benefit.
Through Self-Aid the AJR can also make one-off grants for exceptional expenses or circumstances as long as the cost is defined; for example, the payment of synagogue fees and TV licences as well as additional homecare. All requests are considered on a case by case basis.Where the amount required is a significant sum, interest-free loans can be arranged. In the event that the applicant is homeowner, the AJR may request that the loan is secured against the property.
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.