Urgent aid to repair earthquake damage in Lorca

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1. This royal decree-lawroyal decree-law A rule with the force of law that the Government passes because it is urgent. It applies from its publication, but the Congreso must validate it within 30 days or it lapses. applies to repairing personal and material damage caused by the earthquakes of May 11, 2011 in Lorca (Murcia).
2. 18,000 euros are granted for each person who died or suffered absolute and permanent disability because of the earthquake, with no economic dependence requirement. The aid only applies if the death or disability was directly caused by the earthquakes.
3. Aid is created for material damage: rent payments for up to 24 months (or 12 if only temporary evacuation for repairs is needed), up to 6,671.7 euros per year, up to 2,580 euros to replace essential household goods, and aid to rebuild or repair homes, capped at 24,000 euros when the home is damaged but not destroyed.
4. To apply for this aid you must live in Lorca, the damaged home must have been your usual residence before the earthquake, and you must be the owner, usufructuary or tenant as applicable. A joint committee of the State, the Region of Murcia and the City Council reviews each application and sets construction deadlines: 24 months to rebuild and 12 to repair.
5. Farmers and livestock breeders with policies under the 2011 combined agricultural insurance plan that suffer losses above 20% may receive compensation, with special rules for damage to facilities, animals and uninsured production.
6. Other measures are approved: exemptions from the 2011 property tax and reductions in the economic activities tax, workforce restructuring plans treated as force majeure with severance paid by the Wage Guarantee Fund, deferral of Social Security contributions, emergency public contracting, ICO credit lines of up to €25 million at a maximum 2% APR, and early payment on June 1, 2011 of the extra pay due to pensioners in the area.

Who it affects

• Residents of Lorca who lost or saw their usual home damaged: They can apply for rent, rebuilding or repair aid and are exempt from the 2011 property tax if they had to be rehoused.
• Families of those who died and people left with absolute and permanent disability by the earthquake: They receive 18,000 euros per affected person.
• Farmers and livestock breeders in the area with agricultural insurance: They can receive compensation if their losses exceed 20%.
• Affected businesses and self-employed workers: Tax benefits, deferral of Social Security contributions, force majeure proceedings and ICO credit lines.
• Lorca City Council: The State pays its emergency costs and up to 50% of municipal infrastructure repairs.

Words worth knowing

Real decreto-ley (royal decree-law)

A rule with the force of law that the Government can pass urgently without prior approval by Congress.

Usufructuario (usufructuary)

A person entitled to use a home and benefit from it without owning it.

Expediente de regulación de empleo (workforce restructuring plan)

A procedure allowing a company to suspend or end employment contracts in difficult situations.

Fondo de Garantía Salarial (Wage Guarantee Fund)

A public body that pays workers their severance when the employer cannot.

TAE (APR)

Annual percentage rate: the real yearly cost of a loan, including fees and charges.

royal decree-law

A rule with the force of law that the Government passes because it is urgent. It applies from its publication, but the Congreso must validate it within 30 days or it lapses.

decree-law

A rule with the force of law that the Government passes because it is urgent. It applies from its publication, but the Congreso must validate it within 30 days or it lapses.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries