Date Gazetted:	January 12, 2019
Sector(s) Affected:	Services
Specific sub-sector:	Pension
S.I. No.:	8 of 2019

In 2003, the Social Security Board (SSB) had enacted the Statutory Instrument No. 77, otherwise known as the Social Security (Non-Contributory Pension for Persons 65 Years or Over) Regulations (hereafter “NCP-65”). The NCP-65 was designed to provide social assistance to any woman at or above the age of 65, and any man at or above the age of 67. The person is to be also without an adequate source of income.

Initially, the NCP-65 allowed for a monthly payment of $75; however, with a 2008 amendment via S.I. No. 21 the payment was increased to $100 monthly. In accordance with Regulation 3, the other qualifying criteria had been for the applicant to also be a “permanent resident” or “citizen of Belize”.

However, in a context of needed financial reforms at the SSB, it has become necessary for the SSB to streamline its expenditures towards its core mandate. This is a point that had been repeatedly raised in various consultations with stakeholders.

Consequently, the current amendment (S.I. No. 8 of 2019) is set to help towards said streamlining by narrowing the eligibility criteria for future beneficiaries of the NCP-65. Regulation 3, which had previously allowed for a beneficiary to be either a “permanent resident or a citizen”, has been amended by removing the allowance for the former category. It is worth underscoring, however, that the change “grandfathers” into the law protections for those permanent residents who had been receiving NCP-65 assistance prior the entering into force of the current amendment.

In addition to the foregoing, the amendment also limits the benefits to one person per household (see inserted Regulation 3B). Similarly, persons already on the program are not affected; the change only applies to those individuals registered under the program after the present amendment comes into force.

Along with other changes to how SSB manages its spending, it is expected that these measures and more should result in reduced expenditure that aids in improving the Fund’s sustainability. 5