Akbar says Poverty Benefit Scheme assists more than 23,000 households

Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Rosy Akbar says the government has allocated $36 million for the Poverty Benefit Scheme to assist more than 23,000 households in this financial year.

Akbar says the government provides the Poverty Benefit Scheme to support families in the form of cash transfers and cash value for food items.

She says anyone can apply for this government assistance, however, it’s the assessment process that determines whether one will be eligible to receive it.

Akbar says the allowances per household will depend largely on the number of dependents and case by case assessments with the $50.00 food voucher remaining the same and complementary to the cash allowances.

She adds that the Poverty Benefit Scheme will ensure that a maximum of four members in a household are assisted and this program targets the poorest of the poor and those living in destitution.

The scheme targets households that are living in poverty using an automated system that determines the eligibility of an application to receive assistance from the Department of Social Welfare under the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation.