Social Aid & Unemployment Hardship Relief
Basic Information
Country
Geographic area
Population group
Children, Women, Mother, Pregnant, Lactating women, Working age group
Programme Details
Programme objectives
To provide basic assistance to households whose income is not enough to cover their basic needs.
Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions. n.d. “Social Aid.” Ministry
of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions website. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://socialsecurity.govmu.org/English/Department/Social%20Aid/Pages/Social-Aid.aspx>.
Start date
1983
Established in 1983 by the Social Aid Act
and by the Unemployment Hardship Relief Act. Reference: Government of Mauritius. 1983. Unemployment Hardship Relief Act. Port Louis: Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:JzURuk5zGQwJ:socialsecurity.govmu.org/
English/Documents/Act/UHR%2520Regulations/uhr_reg.doc+&cd=2&hl=pt-BR&ct=clnk&gl=br>.
Government of Mauritius. 1983. The Social Aid Act 1983. Port Louis: Ministry of Social Security, National
Solidarity and Reform Institutions. Accessed 11 November 2015. <http://socialsecurity.govmu.org/English/
Documents/socialaidactmo.pdf>.
Coverage
Social Aid: 43,341 beneficiaries (2012).
UHR: 611 beneficiaries (2012).
Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. 2014. Digest of Social Security Statistics 2012.
Port Louis: Ministry of Finance & Economic Development. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://statsmauritius.govmu.org/English/StatsbySubj/Documents/Social%20Security/Social%
20Security12.pdf>.
Programme expenditure
Social Aid: MUR457.2 million (2008/2009).
UHR: MUR3.0 million (2009).
Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions. n.d. “Social Aid.” Ministry
of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions website. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://socialsecurity.govmu.org/English/Department/Social%20Aid/Pages/Social-Aid.aspx>.
Targeting and eligiblity
Targeting methods
Means Test
Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions. n.d. “Social Aid.” Ministry
of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions website. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://socialsecurity.govmu.org/English/Department/Social%20Aid/Pages/Social-Aid.aspx>.
Targeted areas
Nationwide
Target groups
Dependents of prisoners, abandoned spouses (especially with dependent children) and people who are unemployed.
Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions. n.d. “Social Aid.” Ministry
of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions website. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://socialsecurity.govmu.org/English/Department/Social%20Aid/Pages/Social-Aid.aspx>.
Eligibility criteria
Social Aid: beneficiaries are dependents of prisoners and abandoned
spouses, especially with dependent children. Social aid is also payable
for a limited period to people who are recently unemployed.
Unemployment Hardship Relief (UHR): beneficiaries are unemployed
heads of households, where the household’s income is not sufficient to
meet its basic needs. The head should be registered as unemployed at
the Employment Exchange and be actively looking for work. People with
disabilities who are able to work but cannot find a job receive the UHR
as well as the Basic Invalid’s Pension.
Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. 2014. Digest of Social Security Statistics 2012.
Port Louis: Ministry of Finance & Economic Development. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://statsmauritius.govmu.org/English/StatsbySubj/Documents/Social%20Security/Social%
20Security12.pdf>.
Coverage and other information
Type of benefits
Cash and in-kind benefits
Amount of benefits
Social Aid: minimum social aid MUR935
UHR: Minimum hardship relief MUR245; these minimum benefits
are complemented by other allowances (such as payment of
school examination fees, courses, funeral grants etc.) and benefits
(such as glasses, hearing aids etc.) are granted according to the
particular needs of beneficiaries.
Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions. n.d. “Social Aid.” Ministry
of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions website. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://socialsecurity.govmu.org/English/Department/Social%20Aid/Pages/Social-Aid.aspx>.
Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. 2014. Digest of Social Security Statistics 2012.
Port Louis: Ministry of Finance & Economic Development. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://statsmauritius.govmu.org/English/StatsbySubj/Documents/Social%20Security/Social%
20Security12.pdf>.
Payment/delivery frequency
Monthly
