More than 7,000 Fiji National Provident Fund pensioners will receive a COVID-19 relief payment today.
The payment, which ranges from $300 to $900, will be disbursed directly to the Fund’s active pensioners.
Chief Executive Officer Jaoji Koroi said the Fund was able to provide this one-off payment to pensioners, following amendments to the FNPF Act.
Koroi says these amendments have allowed the Fund to distribute surpluses in the Retirement Income Fund to eligible pensioners.
He also says the provision of this relief for pensioners, is attributed to the successful Reform of the FNPF Pension Scheme in 2012.
The FNPF CEO says the Fund is now in a strong position to consider specific benefit improvements for the FNPF Pensioners and they are able to fund this relief assistance from the surplus in the Retirement Income Fund.
Pensioners who have received a pension payment up to 1st May 2020, will have their COVID-19 relief paid directly to their bank account or by pension order; whichever method they normally receive their monthly pension.
Those pensioners who have not received any monthly payment for March, April and May, will need to contact the Fund to verify and validate their accounts to enable them to access the COVID-19 payout.
Dependents and nominees of pensioners who have passed away, but the guaranteed pension payments are yet to be completed, will be eligible for this relief payment, however they must ensure their account status is active, in order to qualify.
Koroi also says that on Monday 1st June, the Fund will publicize the list of Pension IDs for pensioners whose accounts are suspended or inactive. These pensioners will need to contact the Fund before June 30th, 2020.
