A second round of government cost of living payments in May reached almost 2,000 more Barbadians in May, reflecting expanded eligibility and improved data sharing between state agencies, according to the National Insurance and Social Security Service (NISSS).
Some 56 259 eligible beneficiaries received the second Cost of Living Cash Credit (COLCC) in May, representing a rise of 1 959 people over April, with a total of $5 625 900 disbursed from the Consolidated Fund of Barbados.
Of the total payments made, 34 945 were direct bank deposits and 21 314 were cheques mailed to beneficiaries, the NISSS said.
In a breakdown of the disbursement, the NISSS said that NIS pensioners with incomes under $50 000 made up the bulk of recipients, followed by Social Empowerment Agency welfare recipients, public sector pensioners and persons not in receipt of a pension or other income.
In a media release, the NISSS attributed the increase in the number of COLCC recipients to the inclusion of welfare recipients identified by the Social Empowerment Agency (SEA), as well as expanded access to 2025 income year data furnished by the Barbados Revenue Authority, and ongoing registrations.
“The growth in COLCC recipients is a direct result of our commitment to ensuring that every eligible Barbadian receives the support they are entitled to. We will continue to work with partner agencies to identify and reach those who have not yet been served,” said NISSS chief executive Kim Tudor.
Addressing reports of payment delays experienced by some recipients receiving COLCC funds via direct bank deposit during the April disbursement, Tudor said: “We heard the concerns of recipients who experienced delays in receiving their direct deposits in April. Working with our banking partners, we took deliberate steps to address those issues for the May cycle and will continue to monitor payment delivery closely.”
The NISSS urged recipients who experienced difficulties to contact their banking institution or its COLCC contact desk.
The Cost of Living Cash Credit is a government initiative providing $100 per month for 12 months to eligible Barbadian seniors, individuals with special needs and welfare recipients, funded from the Consolidated Fund of Barbados and administered by the NISSS on behalf of the Ministry of Finance. The programme runs until to March 31 2027.
Since its launch, 1 835 people have registered for the cash credit, and registration remains open for eligible people who have not yet applied.
(JB)
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