Social welfare assistance is provided by governments to individuals and families in need.
This assistance aims to help individuals meet their basic needs, overcome financial difficulties, and improve their overall wellbeing.
Governments design these programs to provide a safety net and help individuals and families overcome temporary or long-term challenges they may face.
These safety nets also provide a basic level of support and assistance to ensure the wellbeing and resilience of the population.
Almost half a billion dollars was paid to Fijians between 2014-2021 by the FijiFirst government under six social welfare protection programs, reveal documents that were submitted to Parliament in March by the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Lynda Tabuya.
Data from the ministry shows $557,370,288 was dished out from the national coffers to support the needy in the community.
Information tabled in Parliament reveals payments under the Child Protection Allowance has been increasing annually with more and more Fijian families needing money from the Government to raise a child.
Annual statistics from the ministry also reveals elderly Fijians above the age of 65 who receive $100 monthly under the Social Pension Scheme have been increasing each year, with 11,615 recipients in 2014 and 44,961 recipients in 2021 and is the highest budget amount among all other social assistance programs.
The recipients for persons living with disabilities have also sky-rocketed between 2017-2021 with 6385 new recipients between this period.
If the 2022/2023 budget allocations are added to the six social welfare programs that currently exist, Fijians taxpayers would be forking out $680,070,986 by June 2023 to assist Fijians who need assistance.
Poverty Benefit Scheme
A total of $237,431,846 million has been paid out under the Poverty Benefit Scheme from 2014 to 2021.
“The scheme is the Government’s flagship program established in 2014, and is aimed to provide a safety net to the poor and vulnerable,” Ms Tabuya informed Parliament.
“It is a poverty-targeted cash transfer aiming at improving the welfare of the poorest and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty.”
Under this scheme, the maximum value of allowance is $127 with a $50 food voucher, bringing the total to $177.
The head of a household or any adult member of the household can apply, after which the Department of Social Welfare will visit the household for inspection.
The recipients were as follows:
- 2014 – 18,167 ( $19.5 million)
- 2015 – 23,235 ($19.9 million)
- 2016 – 22,571 ($17.9 million)
- 2017 – 25,491 ($28.9 million)
- 2018 – 25,696 ($40.1 million)
- 2019 – 26,927 ($39.2 million)
- 2020 – 25,106 ($38.1 million)
- 2021- 23,862 ($33.4 million).
“The program has a budget of $34 million in this financial year (2022-2023), and has a current total of 24,000 families or beneficiaries assisted under the scheme,” said Ms Tabuya.
Child Protection Allowance
Under the Child Protection Allowance, $52,648,034 has been paid from 2014 to 2021 with a startling trend recorded in this period.
The number of recipients has been increasing annually, indicating more and more Fijian families needed money from Government to raise a child below the age of 18.
“The care and protection is a child benefit for vulnerable children (under the age of 18 years). Children’s vulnerable type of households include single parents, deserted spouses, death of breadwinner, prisoner’s dependent, foster parents/ guardians and children in foster or institutional care,” said Ms Tabuya.
The maximum that can be given is $127.
In addition, a $50 food voucher is added, bringing the total to $127.
The primary caregiver of the child must be a Fijian citizen; the child has to be under 18 and must be attending school.
The $127 is given due to nonavailibility of a regular income or child maintenance and the family is living in destitution or on the verge of
destitution.
Data presented to Parliament shows the following recipient numbers:
- 2014 – 2309 ($1.9 million)
- 2015 – 3141 ($2.8 million)
- 2016 – 3458 ($3.1 million)
- 2017 – 4216 ($4.7 million)
- 2018 – 5562 ($7 million)
- 2018 – 8106 ($9.8 million)
- 2020 – 8049 ($11.9 million)
- 2021 – 8864 ($11.1 million)
“In this financial year, Government has provided a budget of $13.7 million and is supporting a total of 10,646 families with children. This would be 41,518 Fijians,” said Ms Tabuya.
Social Pension Scheme
Under Social Pension Scheme, Fijians were paid $226,302,391 between 2014-2021.
The recipients are above the age of 65, are not receiving Fiji National Provident Fund or Government pension, are not under ex-servicemen or After Care Fund and must not be maintained or cared in a State institution.
The Social Pension Scheme provides a monthly social pension of $100.
The recipients each year were:
- 2014 – 11,615 ($2.4 million)
- 2015 – 16,472 ($8.8 million)
- 2016 – 19,174 ($7.3 million)
- 2017 – 26,332 ($13.3 million)
- 2018 – 38,285 ($37.1 million)
- 2019 – 44,547 ($50.9 million)
- 2020 – 45,206 ($54.3 million)
- 2021 – 44,961 ($51.9 million)
“As at March 5th 2023, a total of 50,883 Older Persons are beneficiaries,” said Ms Tabuya.
“The 2022 -2023 budget allocation for SPS is $55 million and is the highest budget amount among all other social assistance programs.”
Rural Pregnant Mothers Scheme Food Voucher Scheme
The Rural Pregnant Mothers Scheme Food Voucher scheme paid out $5,295,818 between 2014- 2021 and was designed to support women who are pregnant and mothers living in rural areas with the objective of improving the maternal health and reducing child mortality.
The allowance is meant to provide early access to reproductive healthcare by providing 10 food vouchers that includes nine months of pre-natal and first month of post-natal or the equivalent cash transfer of $50 per month.
The annual recipients were:
- 2014 – 1673 ($608,927)
- 2015 – 2899 ($558,985)
- 2016 – 1721 ($305,206)
- 2017 – 2165 ($458,394)
- 2018 – 3321 ($966,152)
- 2019 – 3747 ($724,356)
- 2020 – 3279 ($1 million)
- 2021 – 2980 ($669,450)
“Over the last five years Government had invested $4.5 million towards this scheme, with an average of 2611 mothers assisted,” said Ms Tabuya.
Pension for Persons Living with Disability
Pension for persons living with disability was introduced in 2017 and since then until 2021, $9,007,574 has been paid out.
The recipients were as follows:
- 2017-2018 – 2744 ($1.2 million)
- 2018-2019 – 7003 ($4.5 million)
- 2019-2020 – 8228 ($6.4 million)
- 2020-2021 – 9129 ($9 million)
“The Disability Allowance assists individuals with permanent disabilities. In this financial year, Government has provided a budget of $10.7 million and is currently assisting a total of 11,437 persons with disability,” said Ms Tabuya.
Bus Fare Scheme
A total of $26,684,625 has been paid to Fijians under the Bus Fare Scheme between 2017 to 2021.
“The Bus Fare Subsidy Program was introduced in 2017 and is aimed at supporting older persons aged 60 plus and persons with disability who use the bus fare services in Fiji as a mode of transportation,” said Ms Tabuya.
“The Ministry of Women Children and Poverty Alleviation, in partnership with Vodafone Fiji Ltd, facilitates a top of $25 per month on all active etransport cards.”
It is paid on quarterly basis and any unused funds is rolled over to the next month.
The recipients annually is as follows:
- 2017/2018 – 38,260 ($19.9 million)
- 2018/2019 – 52,150 ($11.6 million)
- 2019/2020 – 46,247 ($11.5 million)
- 2020/2021 – 28,476 ($3.4 million)
“Currently, with a budget of $10 million, as at February 2023, the program has 59,724 active cases on the system,” Ms Tabuya informed Parliament.
