From 11th April, 1988 Maggie Thatcher has effectively abolished the welfare state and re-introduced the Poor Law. This has very serious implications for people, especially young people who are thinking of emigrating to Britain. After you sign on at a D.H.S.S. office you will now have to wait at least two weeks before you get any money. You will also have to produce two types o f identification. Your birth cert alone will not do. If you are over 25 you will get £33.40 per week. This is called income support (it replaces supplementary benefit). However, if you are between 18 and 24 the amount will b e reduced to £26.05 'per week. If you are 16 or 17 years old the situation gets worse from September 1988 - you will not get any money unless you go on a youth training scheme. You may be waiting for several months before you qualify for a place on these training schemes.

It is known that over the past few years some people who have been diagnosed as HIV positive and people with AIDS have emigrated to Britain to avail of the better welfare and other support services. Prior to April of this year such people could claim extra allowances for special diets, heating, clothing, laundry, travel costs etc. These allowances are no longer available and instead people diagnosed with AIDS will qualify for only a small disability premium of £13.05 per week in addition to their basic income support payment, if they have been classified as disabled for at least six months. As the health of many people with AIDS changes erratically they may be disqualified from even this low premium by occasionally being "too well" to qualify.

Again, prior to April 1988 people setting up home could get once-off payments to cover deposits n flats and to buy essential household items such as cookers, beds, fridges, washing machines etc. However,these once-off payments have been scrapped and replaced by a system of loans. It is important to note that these loans will not be available to cover deposits on flats. Loans for other essential items will be at the discretion of the local D.H.S.S. office. You may get a loan only if:

1. You are prepared to have your income support (your basic weekly payment) reduced by 15% to repay the loan every week.

2. In the eyes of the D.H.S.S. you will be able to pay the loan back.

3. You have been receiving income support for at least six months.

4. There is enough money in the budget at your local D.H.S.S. office.

5. The local D.H.S.S. office thinks you deserve the money. What this means is that people with AIDS can be refused loans for several reasons: because they are not considered a good credit risk due to their reduced life expectancy: because they have been on income support for only a short period: because there is money in the kitty, or because the D.H.S.S. officer is prejudiced. There is no right of appeal against the refusal of a loan.

So the advice to all people, especially people with AIDS who are thinking of emigrating to Britain solely to avail of the welfare services is to think twice. Perhaps for the first time ever the welfare services in this country are arguably better than in Britain. From July 1988 the lowest income for single people over 18 in Ireland will be £37.80 per week. Also, people who are HIV positive or people with AIDS can claim special allowance for rent, diet, heating, clothing, travel costs, laundry costs etc from their local health board. While these payments are discretionary they are not repayable and there is a right of appeal.

Further information on the welfare services in Britain can be obtained for Emigrant Advice, 1A Cathedral Street, Dublin, 1. Their telephone number is (01) 732844

FRANK MILLS.