Muscat: The Social Protection Fund is set to commence the acceptance of applications for the Family Income Support Benefit from individuals across all societal strata on the upcoming Sunday.
Individuals who satisfy the requisite criteria are invited to register via the designated link on the Fund's official website. This program is designed to provide monthly financial assistance to families belonging to the lower income brackets. The amount of support received is contingent upon the family's income level and the earning capacity of its members.
The benefit amount is proportionate to the number of family members and the total income of the family. Its objective is to enhance the living standards of the families it serves.
The definition of a family encompasses the husband, wife, and children up to the age of 26, as well as non-working daughters aged 40 or younger, who are either unmarried or divorced and do not have children.
Applicants are encouraged to submit the necessary documents and attach them electronically to their application. These documents should include statements for all bank accounts of eligible family members for a period of six months, even if there are multiple accounts for one individual, to ensure their eligibility for the benefit before the account statements are released.
Families of prisoners are required to provide a copy of the court ruling or an official certificate of the ruling. Similarly, families of abandoned individuals must furnish an official document that verifies the status of abandonment of the household's head.
For divorced women with children, proof of custody and any alimony payments, if applicable, must be submitted. Applications that lack the necessary attachments will not be considered.
The Social Protection Law, promulgated under Royal Decree 52/2023, Article 39, delineates the eligibility criteria for the Family Income Support Benefit. These criteria include the family's residence within the Sultanate of Oman.
At least one member of the family must be an Omani, with exceptions for non-Omani widows of Omani spouses who do not have Omani children, provided they have resided in the Sultanate of Oman continuously following the death of their Omani spouse, in accordance with the stipulations outlined in the regulations.
Furthermore, the total income of the family must fall below the threshold specified under Article 40 of this law.
The regulations also outline the procedures for the disbursement of the Family Income Support Benefit, including the categories and cases that are eligible, instances where the benefit may be suspended, and the conditions under which it can be reinstated.
Malek bin Salem Al-Harthi announced that the Social Protection Fund has initiated the distribution of the family income support benefit to a select group of families, particularly those possessing social security cards. According to the most recent data available, the benefit has been allocated to 12,732 families, with a significant number of beneficiaries being male (7,063) and female (5,669) by the end of September 2024.
He further disclosed that the average value of the benefit was set at Omani Rials (OMR) 135, with a notable instance of a benefit amount reaching OMR 398.
Regarding the distribution of the family income support benefit in its initial phase, the governorates have shown varying levels of participation. The governorate of North Al Batinah emerged as the leader, with 2,807 families receiving the benefit, closely followed by Muscat Governorate with 2,118 families, and South Al Sharqiyah Governorate with 1,542 beneficiaries. In terms of geographical distribution, North Al Sharqiyah Governorate accounted for 1,104 beneficiaries, ranking fifth in the category of beneficiaries who did not specify their residence, with a total of 1,039 beneficiaries.
The South Al Batinah Governorate distributed benefits to 906 families, followed by Al Dhahirah Governorate with 885 families, Al Dakhiliyah Governorate with 765 families, and Dhofar Governorate with 587 families. The Al Buraimi Governorate managed to reach 490 beneficiaries, while Musandam Governorate saw 239 beneficiaries.
The Director General of Entitlements at the Social Protection Fund affirmed that the introduction of the family income support benefit is intended to replace the social security pension, aiming to achieve significant outcomes in line with the sustainable development goals and Oman Vision 2024 targets.
This initiative is also seen as a step towards consolidating the pillars of the social security system and retirement system under unified management, thereby enhancing coordination and matching strategies. This approach is in contrast to the potential outcomes of merging the two systems, which could bridge the gaps in social protection and coverage, and facilitate the integration and interconnection between the retirement system and social assistance, ensuring the system's efficiency from a financial perspective, and providing a decent standard of living and advanced protection.
