UAE: Fuel, shopping subsidies to be rolled out immediately, other measures by September

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.

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com