Abu Dhabi Social Support Programme; more than 4,350 low-income Emirati families have benefitted

More than 4,350 low-income Emirati families, which includes 29,369 individuals, have benefitted from the Abu Dhabi Social Support Programme. The objective of the programme is to improve living conditions for low-income Emirati families in in the capital by providing financial and employability support.

The Abu Dhabi Social Support Authority said the families were registered, and their requests were examined through an online system with 27 government entities.

Each application was evaluated based on each family's circumstances against standardised criteria and conditions, most notably, the 'Approved Support Threshold', which was based on studies of Abu Dhabi families' average incomes and expenditures.

The authority stated that the support line for the family is calculated according to the number of its members, and based on the allocations for each individual. The head of the family is allocated Dh7,450 per month, while Dh3,725 is allocated for each family member aged 14 years and above. Children below 14 years of age are allocated Dh2,235 each.

The Abu Dhabi Social Support Programme is part of the Government’s Accelerators Programme, Ghadan 21, falling under the Community Development category.

In addition to financial support, and partnership with various government entities, the Programme seeks to empower individuals who can work by helping them to secure jobs which suit their potential and skills. Beneficiaries for this type of support are selected based on criteria such as age and health conditions.

Qassim Al Hashemi, Executive Director of the Beneficiary Affairs Sector at the Abu Dhabi Social Support Authority said: “The family's benefit from social support is a temporary financial benefit until the family members are empowered. This has contributed to preserving the principle of providing financial support to the most deserving and needy families in the community.”

According to officials, when examining the application in the Abu Dhabi Social Support Program, the total family income is calculated putting into consideration the fixed income, wealth and social benefits received by each family member.

The Abu Dhabi Social Support Programme is one of the numerous offerings available in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which seeks to provide appropriate housing and free healthcare in the public and private sectors; as well as to subsidise food items and other essential services.