Effective January 1, 2017, the Ministry of Social Protection’s Public Assistance was increased from $6500 to $7500.
Director of Social Services at the Ministry of Social Protection, Whentworth Tanner was quoted by GINA earlier today as saying that Social Services department can now accommodate a lot more persons and is now focused on providing support to children, especially those who do not have the basic necessity to attend school on a regular basis.
Tanner explained that the programme is conditional and applicants have to fulfill certain requirements before they receive government’s assistance. For example persons applying with a medical condition, have to provide a medical certificate and proof that they are attending a medical clinic regularly.
Tanner pointed out that the different categories of Public Assistance are medical, temporary and economic public assistance. He explained that the medical is for persons with temporary health problems such as an accident that will prevent them from working.
The economic ones are given to persons who have economic problems and cannot sustain their families and the permanent public assistance is for persons with permanent disabilities such as paralysis.
The Social Services Director noted that for the medical and economic category, a review of circumstances is conducted every six months, and for the permanent category, once every year.
This is to ensure that the persons receiving public assistance are still eligible for it.
The social services department also plays a role to ensure that children attend school and clinics regularly.
