Barbados: The Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs (MPEA) has advised the Persons with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and advanced multiple sclerosis to register with the National Disability Unit (NDU), to get the benefits of National Insurance grants.
The government of the Barbados have stated that they have plans to expand the benefits of national insurance to four additional categories that will include persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Additionally, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley during the 2024 Budgetary Proposals and Financial Statement announced that the categories in the National Insurance grants will be expanded, that would benefit the persons with disabilities.
Prime Minister Mottley, stated that, from October 1 it will be in effect that the persons with disability will get the benefits and the categories will broaden. The categories will be for people suffering from conditions like advanced multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and autism. It will also include the minors that are undergoing these conditions.
It must be noted that the minors will get half the amount that is given as a non-contributory old age pension. However, for the adults the grant will be the full amount that is 100% of the non-contributory old-age pension.
Further, after the announcement the members of the Down Syndrome Association requested the Prime Minister that they should also be included in the list and later the authorities agreed upon this.
The authorities have shared that the PWDs or their caretakers can collect the forms to register from the NDU’s headquarters located at the Maxwelton, Lower Collymore Rock, St. Michael.
The details filled in the registration form will help the MPEA to determine the eligibility and if they qualify for the benefit from the expansion of national insurance grants for these categories of persons with disabilities.
It has been shared that all PWDs must register before August 9 to receive the benefits, which will commence in October 2024.
