Public Alms (Great Nortend)

The Public Alms scheme is the state benefit programme in Great Nortend. It provides a number of welfare services for Erbonian subjects including housing, pensions, poor relief, legal alms and medical alms. The scheme is administered by the Lord High Almoner and the Board of Almoners. The modern Public Alms scheme is authorised under the Lord High Almoner's Act 18 Edm. IX p. 44 passed in 1920 which created the Board of Almoners. The scheme does not include other state services, such as public schooling, police services or fire services, which are provided under different arrangements.

Types of Alms

The Lord High Almoner currently provides alms in sixteen different categories. These are: Common Alms

• Old-age pension
• Widows' pension
• Orphans' pension
• Invalidity pension
• Alms housing
• Sick alms
• Unemployment alms
• Fuel alms

Special Alms

• Consultation services
• Treatment services
• Surgery services
• Hospital services
• Nursing services
• Medicament services
• Appliance services
• Legal alms

Funding

The Public Alms scheme is funded by subscriptions and tax revenue. Every person (the servant) who is employed by another (the master) is required to register as a Subscriber. Subscriptions are paid in the form of stamps, purchased at a Post Office. These are pasted every week to a card which is posted to the Lord High Almoner's Office every six months. The responsibility is placed on the master to purchase stamps, who is entitled to recover a proportion thereof from the servant's pay.

The week rate of Public Alms subscriptions is based upon the salary or wage of the Subscriber, as well as living circumstances. The subscription for a man with a housewife with or without one or two children under the age of 21 is one and a half times that of a child-less bachelor. Subscribers with more than two children incur increased subscriptions.

Eligibility

Common Alms

Subjects become eligible for Common Alms based upon their years of contributions to the Public Alms scheme.

A person will be eligible for Full Common Alms if he has contributed to the Public Alms scheme for over thirty-five years at the correct rate. A person is eligible for Three-Quarter Common Alms if he has contributed for over twenty-five years. A person is eligible for Half Common Alms if he has contributed for over fifteen years. A person is eligible for Quarter Common Alms if he has contributed for over five years. For those persons who by reason of invalidity have not contributed sufficiently to the Public Alms scheme, a deemed number of years for contribution is calculated based upon the degree of invalidity, age, living circumstances and means.

Special Alms

All subjects are entitled to receive legal alms. All subjects similarly are entitled to receive medical alms. The level of coverage for both depends on whether the patient is covered under a Public Alms subscription. The base coverage of 50 per cent; however, coverage can go up to 100 per cent for those eligible for Full Common Alms.