Jungnang-gu Proactively Identifies and Provides Customized Support to 2,336 Households in Welfare Blind Spots

Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions for 4,436 Households with Two or Fewer Residents Receiving Housing Benefits Identifies 2,336 Households in Welfare Blind Spots; Prompt Public and Private Support Provided through Customized Benefits, Emergency Aid, and Donations... Continuous Monitoring to Discover At-Risk Households and Build a Robust Welfare Safety Net

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] A single-person household in their prime, Mr. A, who lost his job due to COVID-19 and fell behind on three months of goshiwon rent, was able to avoid eviction through emergency support. Mr. B, a lonely elderly person suffering from severe lethargy who skipped meals and avoided hospital visits for over a year due to medical cost burdens, began receiving customized benefits along with side dish deliveries.

The background enabling such support was a proactive full survey of at-risk households.

Jungnang-gu (District Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) announced that it conducted a comprehensive living condition survey to eliminate welfare blind spots and identified 2,336 households in need of assistance.

This survey targeted households of two or fewer people receiving housing benefits and was conducted over one month starting December 28 of last year.

Welfare experts such as welfare planners and counselors conducted a thorough investigation in three stages: first, telephone consultations; second, home visits to households that could not be reached by phone; and third, sending welfare service information notices.

The survey results showed the housing types as follows: ▲deposit-based monthly rent (49.2%) ▲rental housing (19.8%) ▲use-based housing (15.2%) ▲jeonse (long-term deposit lease) (11.8%) ▲goshiwon (4.0%). It was also found that 59.6% of all surveyed households had an income below 500,000 KRW.

The district promptly provided support to the 2,336 welfare blind spot households identified through this survey. They were able to receive necessary help through public support such as customized benefits and emergency aid, as well as private support including neighbor assistance, meal delivery, and linkage to various information and services.

The district plans to continue efforts to eliminate welfare blind spots by conducting ongoing monitoring of both existing and new housing benefit recipients.

Jungnang-gu Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi said, “Not only through this special full survey but also by utilizing the social security system and community safety nets, we will continuously identify neighbors in need of help. We will create a warmer welfare Jungnang together through diverse customized welfare services.”

Meanwhile, the district plans to build a detailed welfare safety net by conducting a full survey by March of 1,177 single-person households aged 50 to 64 at high risk of solitary death due to economic difficulties caused by COVID-19, as well as 276 vulnerable housing locations such as goshiwon and guesthouses.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.