Akbar says more than 45,134 senior citizens are benefitting from the Social Pension Scheme

More than 45,134 senior citizens are benefitting from the Government’s Social Pension Scheme.

Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Rosy Akbar says that the Social Pension Scheme provides allowances for those over 65 years of age who do not have any form of income or pension or have never been beneficiaries of a superannuation scheme.

Akbar says the government introduced the Social Pension Scheme in 2013 and since then has gradually reduced the eligibility age from 70 to 65 years of age, and increased the allowance from $30 to $50 over the last few years, and to $100 after committing to the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing.

She says government also implemented Fiji’s National Minimum Standards on the Care of Older Persons, which focuses on ensuring adequate care provision for our older people.

Akbar adds this intervention will allow the eligible beneficiaries to better manage new risks associated with the pandemic as well as ensuring their basic needs are supported.

She further says as a country, it is important that we all acknowledge that we need to do more to ensure that our senior citizens in Fiji are treated with respect, care and dignity.

75 year old Taniela Ilisevaseva, says his social pension scheme allowance has assisted his family in buying basic needs and thanked the government for the allowance and the Ministry’s staff for their hard work and dedication during this pandemic.

84 year old Litiana Tamani says the monthly allowance she gets has assisted her in paying her transport cost to the hospital and immediate needs.

The social pension scheme forms are currently available in all the District Offices. These forms need to be certified by a Justice of Peace or a community leader or a senior civil servant, for verification purposes. Applicants should provide a certified birth certificate with two passport-sized photos, TIN or combined FNPF number, vaccination card, and bank account details. For further information please call Social Welfare on 3314469 or 3315585.

The Fijian Government has allocated $55.3 million for the Social Pension Scheme.