There are currently 12,362 Jamaican senior citizens registered under the Government’s new Social Pension programme.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security issued J$446 million under the programme to citizens 75 years and older between March 2022 and January 2023 to assist with their various needs.

“We are evaluating the manner in which we qualify persons to go on the programme. This is a discussion we will have to have, as some people fall through the cracks simply, because they might have a refrigerator or they might be lucky enough to have a television at home,” Samuda said during the sitting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House last week.

“The direction in which we are heading, to have those things, does not move you from poverty to prosperity. So, the Government has an obligation to do everything possible to improve their quality of life, and so we will be looking at that,” the minister added.

The initiative targets all Jamaican citizens 75 years and older who are not currently in receipt of a pension (overseas or local) or any other retirement, old-age or disability benefit or regular income, and are not living in a government-institutionalised care facility.

To register for the social pension programme, persons may visit any of the Ministry’s parish offices islandwide.

They will be required to complete a social pension application form, accompanied by their Tax Registration Number (TRN), National Insurance Scheme (NIS) card, and proof of age in the form of a birth certificate or a valid passport.

They should also take along a valid identification (ID), such as a driver’s licence, passport or voter’s ID, proof of bank account and any other document that may be required to process the application, for example, proof of citizenship.