Many people who were forced into a difficult situation such as losing their jobs visited the counseling sessions and food provisions held in various places during the year-end and New Year holidays.

Five groups, including support groups in Tokyo, visited Omisoka on New Year's Day, and about 700 people visited for life consultation and food provision held on the 3rd of this month, and about 150 consultations were received in 3 days. It was.



In the consultation, there were cases such as "I lost my job and was forced to leave the employee dormitory" and "I have no job and cannot pay the Internet fee".



Some people moved to a business hotel prepared by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as an emergency accommodation, consulted with the window opened by the local government during the year-end and New Year holidays, and applied for welfare protection on the same day.

Tsuyoshi Inaba, CEO of Tsuyoshi Inaba, one of the support groups, said, "Young people, parents and children, and foreign nationals come to consult one after another, and there are more and more people who have housing but are in trouble with living expenses and rent. Many people hesitate to apply for welfare protection, and I think the negative image is a barrier to support. "

Men looking for a job over the year Remaining 70,000 yen

A man in his 40s living in Toshima-ku, Tokyo, wanted to get a job again as soon as possible, so he checked the job offer information on the Internet from midnight to New Year's Eve in Omisoka.



I have earned income from temporary staffing and part-time jobs, but it is said that I have almost lost my job since last spring due to the influence of the new coronavirus.



After that, the income is said to be about 700,000 yen, including the 400,000 yen that was paid by taking the training of the personal computer in the national education and training and the special fixed amount of 100,000 yen.



I have lived with my savings, but my savings, which used to be about 300,000 yen before the Corona virus, have now decreased to about 70,000 yen.



We are saving food expenses by going to support groups' meals and food banks, but it is said that if we pay the rent of 50,000 yen for next month, we will have almost no money left.



For this reason, we are considering using the support system "Emergency Small Fund", which allows the Council of Social Welfare to serve as a contact point and borrow immediate living expenses from the national government.



The man said, "I want to find a job this time, but I find it difficult because the number of job offers is decreasing due to the spread of the infection. I have a bad relationship with parents living in rural areas, so the local government may contact my family. I don't want to receive welfare protection, "he said.

In some cases hesitating to apply for welfare

Edogawa-ku, Tokyo has set up temporary consultation desks at three welfare offices in the ward for 6 days from the 29th of last month to the 3rd of this month.



According to the ward, 22 consultations were received from people who lost their jobs, but there was only one application for welfare protection.



If the local government that received the application for welfare protection asks the applicant about the financial situation of the relatives and decides that there is a possibility that he / she may be able to receive assistance, he / she will directly contact the relatives for “dependent inquiry”. May be done.



However, it is said that some people refuse to apply for welfare protection when they are estranged, such as when they have not been in contact with their relatives for a long time.

Kenji Yasuda, chief of the Edogawa Ward Life Support Division 1, said, "I feel that many people say that they do not want to receive welfare protection even if their lives are in need. Some people want to stop only the dependent inquiries that contact their relatives. In some cases, it does not lead to receiving welfare benefits, and I feel frustrated only in situations where support is needed. "



According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, at least 312 local governments nationwide set up temporary consultation desks to provide support during the year-end and New Year holidays.