Khaleej Times, Wednesday, Jul 06, 2022 | Zul Hijjah 7, 1443
Fuel, shopping subsidies to be rolled out immediately, other measures by September
Emirates: UAE's Ministry of Community
Development (MoCD) will begin receiving inflation allowance applications from
today (July 5), with the new social welfare programme to be rolled out in
September 2022, announced Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, the Minister of Community
Development.
During an interview with Abu Dhabi Radio on Tuesday, the Minister reported high
demand for the million-dirham fund in the first few hours of the announcement.
In a tweet, MoCD said its website was "experiencing pressure as a result of the
increasing numbers due to submission of requests and inquiries."
"The ministry's technical team is currently working to quickly fix the problem.
The site will return to normal in the coming hours," the ministry had added.
The programme includes three key pillars to support low-income Emirati families
- new welfare allocations, an increase in allowances and the inflation
allowance, which includes food, water, electricity and fuel subsidies. While
discounts on fuel and shopping will begin immediately, the ministry clarified
other measures would take effect in September this year.
On Monday, state news agency WAM announced President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed
bin Zayed Al Nahyan directed the restructuring of the Social Welfare Programme
for low-income citizens into an integrated programme worth Dh28 billion instead
of Dh14 billion.
Following the announcement of Sheikh Mohamed's directives, Minister Buhumaid
said the MoCD has already begun implementing the directives of the President and
will cover a larger number of families.
The programme covers various social aspects for national families with limited
income, including the head of the family allowance and allowances for wives and
children. The programme also covers financial support for housing and other
basic needs such as food, water, electricity and fuel, in addition to temporary
financial support for unemployed job seekers and unemployed citizens over the
age of 45.
Minister Buhumaid said the programme supports the vision of the UAE's leadership
to make the UAE one of the best countries to support the community and quality
of life.
The ministry explained that there are several categories eligible for social
welfare, including:
— Families where the head of the family is aged over 25, retired
— An elderly citizen
— Citizens with health problems or is a person of determination
— Families of prisoners, orphans and abandoned children
— Widows and divorced women whose children are persons of determination
— Unemployed individuals aged over 45
The fund will be given to the above-mentioned category of citizens provided that
the household income of the applicant family is lower than the social welfare
value specified for the number of family members.
How will it be calculated?
The ministry said that the value of social welfare will be calculated according
to the number of family members and their eligibility for allowances.
— The main eligible beneficiary will receive Dh 5,000
— The wife will receive Dh 3,500
— The first son Dh 2,400
— The second and the third Dh 1,600 each
— The fourth son D 800.
— Allowances granted to children who are university students will be raised to
Dh3,200, if they are enrolled in certain universities or have high academic
scores.
— Housing allowances will amount to Dh2,500, with an extra Dh2,000 'expertise
allowance' to be given to breadwinners and retired people.
— Main beneficiaries who are aged over 45 and unemployed will receive a
conditional social welfare sum of Dh2,000, which will increase by Dh1,000 once
every five years, totalling Dh5,000 by
the time he turns 60 years old, while his wife will receive an allowance of Dh
1,000, which will gradually increase to Dh3,500 by the time she turns 60.
— Main beneficiaries who are seeking employment are eligible for a Dh5,000
temporary allowance, with wives and children eligible for allowances as well.
How to apply?
Application submission process The Ministry of Community Development said the
social welfare applications and related inquiries can be submitted through the
ministry's website(www.mocd.gov.ae) and smart application. Registrations must be
made using the UAE Pass or registration with the Emirates ID.
Electricity and water subsidies
The MoCD said that electricity and water subsidies would be provided, in
coordination with relevant authorities. A monthly subsidy of 50 per cent for
electricity consumption less than 4,000
kilowatts, and monthly subsidy for water at a value of 50 per cent for water
consumption less than 26,000 gallons will be provided.
Buhumaid said electricity and water subsidy claims can be submitted through the
ministry's website from July 5. Eligibility criteria for such subsidies include
having a total household income ofless than Dh 25,000 per month, and this is
done by calculating monthly salaries, pensions, returns from commercial
licences, returns from rental properties and income from investment properties.
Eligible categories for the water and electricity subsidies also include the
families of retirees who have unmarried and unemployed children aged under 21,
and have with a total household income of less than Dh 25,000 per month. The
ministry must be informed of changes in family income and marital status.
The eligibility criteria and eligible categories for the water and electricity
subsidies shall be the same as those for the fuel and food subsidies.
The ministry explained that the fuel subsidy, which amounts to 85 per cent of
the fuel price, will be provided to some low-income families if the fuel price
increases over Dh 2.1 per litre. The head of the family receives a monthly
subsidy of 300 litres, while the working wife receives a subsidy of an
additional 200 litres. Meanwhile, the breadwinner will be eligible for a subsidy
of 300 litres, if the spouse (unemployed or retired husband/wife) is not
receiving welfare.
In addition, retirees, whether husbands or wives, who are not receiving welfare,
will receive a subsidy of 300 litres if they have children aged under 21 who are
unemployed and unmarried. Fuel subsidy applications are submitted and approved
through the Adnoc Distribution smart application, and will be linked to an
applicant's ID number.
The ministry also said it will disburse food subsidies at 75 per cent of the
food price inflation rate. The value of the subsidy is linked to the change in
inflation rates for basic foodstuffs. Food allowances can be used at approved
outlets selling goods and food, which will be announced in the coming period.