Old-age Assistance Programme
Basic Information
Country
Geographic area
Institutions and agencies involved
Population group
Elderly persons, Persons with disabilities
Programme Details
Programme objectives
The non-contributory Old-age Assistance Programme came into force by the passing of the Social Security Amendment Act of 1993. The programme serves its purpose in providing pensions for those who never got the opportunity to contribute to Social Security because of their old age. The assistance pension is designed to be terminated with the death of the last recipient. People with disabilities and visual impairments who are not able to earn their own livelihood are also covered by the programme with the same benefits as beneficiaries due to the age.
Programme components
Coverage
Programme expenditure
Targeting and eligiblity
Targeting methods
Targeted areas
Nationwide
Target groups
i) Persons who have attained age 65 or more in 1993.
ii) Persons who are blind or with other disabilities, who have attained age 60 and are unable to generate autonomous income.
Eligibility criteria
Persons who were at the age 65 or more in 1993, or 60 in the case of people with visual impairments or disabilities and residency annual income less than EC 5,000. In addition to the age and disability requirement, the recipient must have ordinarily resided in Antigua and Barbuda for at least 15 years for citizens and 20 years for non-nationals preceding the date of application for the programme. The income from all sources of the recipients must not exceed EC$5,000 per annum. The two target population groups receive the same benefits under one programme.
Coverage and other information
Type of benefits
Cash.
Amount of benefits
EC$ 255. The amount of transfer was set steady at EC$136.50 from 1993 but was increased to EC$255.00 in February of 2015.
Payment/delivery frequency
Monthly.
Benefit delivery mechanism
Flat transfer.
Benefit recipients
Legal Framework
