Older Persons’ Cash Transfer, OPCT
Basic Information
Country
Geographic area
Population group
Elderly persons
Programme Details
Programme objectives
To provide regular and predictable cash transfer to poor and vulnerable older persons (65 years and above) in identified deserving households.
In a recent development, individuals no longer receive benefits from the OPCT programme upon reaching the age of 70; instead, they become eligible for participation in the Inua Jamii Senior Citizens’ Scheme.
(i) Social Protection Secretariat. n.d. Older Persons Cash Transfers n.d. Available at: https://www.socialprotection.or.ke/social-protection-components/social-assistance/national-safety-net-program/older-persons-cash-transfer-opct
Accessed: 6 February 2023
(ii) Chirchir., R. Tran., Anh. 2022. Kenya: Inua Jamii Senior Citizens’ Scheme. ILO Social Protection Department. Accessible at https://www.social-protection.org/gimi/Media.action?id=19396. Accessed on 06 February 2024.
Start date
2006
Social Protection Secretariat. n.d. Older Persons Cash Transfers n.d. Available at: https://www.socialprotection.or.ke/social-protection-components/social-assistance/national-safety-net-program/older-persons-cash-transfer-opct
Accessed: 6 February, 2023
Coverage
Beneficiary coverage: 800,000 (2018/2019)
Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. 2020. Kenya Social Protection Sector Annual Report 2018/2019. Available at: https://www.socialprotection.go.ke/sites/default/files/Downloads/Kenya-Social-Protection-Sector-Annual-Report-2020-1.pdf Accessed 18/12/2023
Programme expenditure
KSH 8,028,299,971 budgeted in fiscal year 2015/2016
Ministry of Labour and East African Affairs. 2016. Inua Jamii Towards a More Effective National Safety Net for Kenya: Progress Report. National Safety Net Program.p.29. available at: https://nsps.socialprotection.go.ke/images/downloads/NSNP-Progress-Report_March_2016.pdf. Accessed 18/12/2023.
Targeting and eligiblity
Targeting methods
Proxy Means Test
Categorical Targeting
Community-Based Targeting
(i) Gloria Chepngeno-Langat , Nele van der Wielen , Jane Falkingham & Maria Evandrou (2023) Targeting Cash Transfers on the “Poorest of the Poor” in the Slums: How Well Did the Kenya’s Older Persons Cash Transfer Programme Perform?, Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 35:1, 107-124, DOI: 10.1080/08959420.2021.1926197 available at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08959420.2021.1926197 accessed 14/11/2023
(ii) Ministry of Labour and East African Affairs. 2016. Inua Jamii Towards a More Effective National Safety Net for Kenya: Progress Report. National Safety Net Program.p.29. available at: https://nsps.socialprotection.go.ke/images/downloads/NSNP-Progress-Report_March_2016.pdf. Accessed 18/12/2023.
Targeted areas
Nationwide
Ministry of Labour and East African Affairs. 2016. Inua Jamii Towards a More Effective National Safety Net for Kenya: Progress Report. National Safety Net Program.p.29. available at: https://nsps.socialprotection.go.ke/images/downloads/NSNP-Progress-Report_March_2016.pdf. Accessed 18/12/2023.
Target groups
Poor and vulnerable older persons
Social Protection Secretariat. n.d. Older Persons Cash Transfers n.d. Available at: https://www.socialprotection.or.ke/social-protection-components/social-assistance/national-safety-net-program/older-persons-cash-transfer-opct
Accessed: 6 February, 2023
Eligibility criteria
(i) Older persons must be 65 years and above;
(ii) Must be poor and vulnerable;
(iii) Beneficiary/Household must not be enrolled in any other Cash Transfer programme;
(iv) A member of the household must not be receiving any pension and/or regular income;
(v) A member of the household must not be in any gainful employment;
(vi) All older people aged 70 and over regardless of their income level (look at the objectives and Inua Jamii Senior Citizens’ Scheme).
(i) Social Protection Secretariat. n.d. Older Persons Cash Transfers n.d. Available at: https://www.socialprotection.or.ke/social-protection-components/social-assistance/national-safety-net-program/older-persons-cash-transfer-opct. Accessed: 6 February, 2023;
(ii) Gloria Chepngeno-Langat , Nele van der Wielen , Jane Falkingham & Maria Evandrou (2023) Targeting Cash Transfers on the “Poorest of the Poor” in the Slums: How Well Did the Kenya’s Older Persons Cash Transfer Programme Perform?, Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 35:1, 107-124, DOI: 10.1080/08959420.2021.1926197 available at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08959420.2021.1926197 accessed 14/11/2023.
(iii) Chirchir., R. Tran., Anh. 2022. Kenya: Inua Jamii Senior Citizens’ Scheme. ILO Social Protection Department. Accessible at https://www.social-protection.org/gimi/Media.action?id=19396. Accessed on 06 February 2024.
Coverage and other information
Type of benefits
Cash
Social Protection Secretariat. n.d. Older Persons Cash Transfers n.d. Available at: https://www.socialprotection.or.ke/social-protection-components/social-assistance/national-safety-net-program/older-persons-cash-transfer-opct
Accessed: 6 February, 2023
Amount of benefits
KES2,000 per month
Social Protection Secretariat. n.d. Older Persons Cash Transfers n.d. Available at: https://www.socialprotection.or.ke/social-protection-components/social-assistance/national-safety-net-program/older-persons-cash-transfer-opct
Accessed: 6 February, 2023
Payment/delivery frequency
Every two months.
Social Protection Secretariat. n.d. Older Persons Cash Transfers n.d. Available at: https://www.socialprotection.or.ke/social-protection-components/social-assistance/national-safety-net-program/older-persons-cash-transfer-opct
Accessed: 6 February, 2023
Benefit delivery mechanism
Through appointed payment agent - currently the Equity Bank and Kenya Commercial Bank.
Social Protection Secretariat. n.d. Older Persons Cash Transfers n.d. Available at: https://www.socialprotection.or.ke/social-protection-components/social-assistance/national-safety-net-program/older-persons-cash-transfer-opct
Accessed: 6 February, 2023
Minimum and maximum duration of benefits (if any)
Exit from the programme was through death or if a recipient became ineligible having provided false information that meets the eligibility criteria.
Gloria Chepngeno-Langat , Nele van der Wielen , Jane Falkingham & Maria Evandrou.2023.Targeting Cash Transfers on the “Poorest of the Poor” in the Slums: How Well Did the Kenya’s Older Persons Cash Transfer Programme Perform? Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 35:1, 107-124, DOI: 10.1080/08959420.2021.1926197 Available at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08959420.2021.1926197. Accessed 15/11/2023
Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and frequency
Since the National Safety Net Programme (NSNP) was created in 2013, considerable progress has been made towards achieving the objectives and key indicators of the programme. With regard to M&E, the four cash transfer programmes have all begun to report on the common indicators as set out in the NSNP monitoring framework. Furthermore, each programme now has a functioning MIS that is able to record and report on all pertinent program-related information. Additionally, there are several monitoring and evaluation activities that have taken place by external independent firms or are currently underway to collect additional information on the progress that the NSNP has been making towards achieving its objectives.
Ministry of Labour and East African Affairs. 2016. Inua Jamii Towards a More Effective National Safety Net for Kenya: Progress Report. National Safety Net Program.p.29. available at: https://nsps.socialprotection.go.ke/images/downloads/NSNP-Progress-Report_March_2016.pdf. Accessed 18/12/2023.
Legal Framework
Kenya’s Social Assistance Act 24 of 2013
MIS
The programme´s MIS contains a registration module for both targeting and enrollment that contains beneficiary data. The MIS also has a payment module to make post-payroll checks and reconciliations more efficient, accurate, and timely. In addition, each MIS has a change management module that can produce beneficiary lists that identify households that no longer meet the eligibility criteria. The MISs also contain modules for registering complaints and grievances, and, as mentioned previously, they are currently being decentralized to the county level to improve the management of incoming data from the local level. Additionally, each MIS is able to support M&E by being able to produce reports on any data of interest. Finally, the programme MISs are able to link to and provide information to the common Single Registry.
Ministry of Labour and East African Affairs. 2016. Inua Jamii Towards a More Effective National Safety Net for Kenya: Progress Report. National Safety Net Program.p.29. available at: https://nsps.socialprotection.go.ke/images/downloads/NSNP-Progress-Report_March_2016.pdf. Accessed 18/12/2023.
