Municipal services
Municipal services can be provided by a municipality, a regional consortium, or another formal cooperation of municipalities.
Municipal services can vary from municipality to municipality, but people with disabilities have a legal right to services under the Social Services Act No. 40/1999. If a disabled person's need for services or support is greater or more specialized than can be met within general services, additional services shall be provided in accordance with the Act on Services for Disabled Persons with Long-Term Support Needs No. 38/2018. It is important to note that the services provided under this law are in addition to, not a substitute for, services provided under other laws. The services provided under both laws shall be integrated for the benefit of the user.
Services of all municipalities
In all cases, people seeking information about municipal services are advised to visit the municipality's website and look for information there or call the office of the relevant municipality directly. Most municipalities have a service portal (My Pages) on their website, which is a personal portal for residents. It is important to register there, as it allows you to interact with municipal authorities and often contains application forms and more.
Please note that in some places here, information about services in individual categories is missing, and in that case, it is best to contact the respective municipality directly by email or call its office. The Knowledge Center's information on municipal services is rather general and is based on information obtained from the municipalities' websites.
Teamwork
Disabled people have the right to teamwork, which aims to support the individual, increase independence, and break down social isolation. Assistance can include giving a disabled person the opportunity to enjoy leisure and cultural activities, but it can also involve support at home with daily activities as well as grocery shopping and other similar tasks.
Further assistance
Further assistance is an additional service to the legally mandated general services available to people with disabilities, such as home services, home health care, education, and training, and is only considered if those services are deemed insufficient.
Further assistance is multifaceted personal help in daily life, tailored to the needs of each individual.
Further assistance is a service for those who live independently in an apartment, provided they have exhausted their entitlement to home care services from the municipality in accordance with the law on municipal social services. Home nursing is also provided where applicable. Further assistance is primarily provided on The service user's home.
Housing benefit
Housing benefit are monthly payments intended to assist those who rent residential housing, whether in the public housing system, student housing, or the general rental market.
Purpose of the law No. 75/2016 The purpose of housing benefits is to lower housing costs for lower-income tenants by providing housing benefit payments for renting residential housing and to reduce inequality in the housing market. Housing and Building Authority The housing improvement program is administered, and applications for the grants are processed on the website, which also details the procedure. The program is fully funded by the national government.
Transportation service for people with disabilities
Disabled individuals who cannot drive, do not have access to a car, or cannot use public transportation are entitled to use a paratransit service to get around.
To be eligible for the service, you must have a permanent residence in the municipality where you are applying for the transportation service.
Disabled children can receive transportation services, which must be requested by their parents or guardians. Children under the age of six must always be accompanied by an adult.
You can apply for transportation services for people with disabilities on my pages or by submitting an application to the service center.
Social home care service
Social home care service is provided to disabled individuals who live in their homes and cannot manage household chores and activities of daily living without support. Social support is also provided. Social home care services include house cleaning, meal delivery, etc.
Social rental housing
Social housing It is intended for individuals who, due to low income, cannot rent on the private market or purchase housing. The income of everyone in the household, the number of children, etc., are considered when determining whether an individual is eligible for public housing and for what size apartment.
Financial assistance
Individuals who cannot provide for themselves and their family have the right to financial assistance from the municipality where the individual is a resident. It must be demonstrated that the income is low and does not suffice for the family. The income of everyone in the household, the number of children, etc., are considered when determining whether the individual is eligible for such support.
User-directed personal assistance (NPA)
User-directed personal assistance (NPA) is based on the philosophy of independent living. The philosophy is based on the right of people with disabilities to live an independent life, have full control over their lives, make their own decisions, and have the right to live in and participate in the community without segregation. Furthermore, that people with disabilities can, regardless of the nature and severity of their impairment, make their own decisions, control their own support, and shape their own lifestyle.
The goal of the NPA is for us as people with disabilities to be able to live our lives and have the same opportunities as people without disabilities. It is also that we have maximum control in shaping our own lifestyle. Independent living is discussed in more detail under the section on Welfare
Property taxes
Municipalities are permitted to reduce or waive the property tax that low-income elderly and disabled pensioners are required to pay pursuant to the 4th paragraph of Article 5 of Law No. 4/1995 on Municipal Revenue Sources. Municipalities are required to establish rules for the application of this authority.
Social counseling
We all have to face various challenges in life. Sometimes it is necessary to get advice and support to meet them. Social counseling aims to help people help themselves through a variety of methods so they can enjoy society to the fullest.
You contact a service center in your neighborhood or the offices of your municipality to request social counseling. A counselor will guide you through applications for specific services that suit your needs and assist with completing them if necessary.
All people 18 years of age and older who are residents of Reykjavik can seek social counseling free of charge at the Reykjavik City service centers.
Social counseling can include, among other things, financial assistance, support with housing searches, support for unemployment benefits, and support for reduced work capacity.
Counselors at service centers work with people, providing them with information about various services and referring them to resources that are suitable for each individual.
Please note that the material above is taken from the websites of the respective organizations/companies.
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Municipal services
We would like to remind people to carefully review the rules of passenger transport companies before departing. Some places have good services for people with disabilities, but at other locations, people with disabilities can be turned away, and people's understanding of "accessibility for people with mobility impairments" varies greatly. Sometimes, it's only mentioned that there is a wheelchair ramp at the front door, but then there are stairs from the hotel lobby/reception to the elevator, or there isn't an elevator at all.
There can be a big difference between countries and between service providers. With the advent of Google, access to information about accessibility here and there has become much better, and it is even possible to view the premises from the outside through Google Maps. There are also numerous websites where people with disabilities share information about accessibility issues here and there, and you just need to type something like "disabled travel in London" into a search engine if you're traveling to London.
It is often important to have a medical letter with you that describes an individual's disability.