Oman pays great attention to retired
Published: 06:03 PM,Mar 18,2025 | EDITED : 10:03 PM,Mar 18,2025
Malik bin Salem al Harthy
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman pays great attention to the retired people and strives to provide them with everything they need in various fields, offering social support to improve their quality of life and ways to integrate them into society.
Shedding light on the role of the Social Protection Fund (SPF) in achieving this goal, Malik bin Salem al Harthy, Director-General of Benefits at SPF, emphasised that retirement benefits and social benefits play a vital role in addressing the challenges faced by the elderly by providing sustainable financial support, alongside programmes that promote their integration into society.
He added that the fund’s role is not limited to providing financial benefits alone, but also seeks to continuously develop the social protection system in line with economic changes. He explained that, in early 2025, pensions for the elderly were increased for the first time in implementation of the Social Protection Law. He noted that this increase was in response to the needs of retirees, taking into account inflation and economic variables to ensure continued effective support.
Al Harthy emphasised that financial stability plays a fundamental role in promoting the psychological and social well-being of this group, as it helps reduce anxiety about the future and gives them the opportunity to engage in society and participate in various activities, which positively impacts their mental health.
Regarding programmes complementing retirement benefits, Al Harthy noted that the Social Protection Law guarantees every Omani who reaches the age of senior citizens a monthly benefit of RO 115, even if they have no previous employment history. He also explained that there are other initiatives that help the elderly remain in the labour market, so that reaching retirement age does not hinder those who wish to continue contributing and benefit from their experience.
Al Harthy revealed a major digital transformation taking place within the fund, including the launch of advanced electronic services to facilitate access to benefits. As many as 172,672 elderly people benefited as of the end of February 2025.
Shedding light on the role of the Social Protection Fund (SPF) in achieving this goal, Malik bin Salem al Harthy, Director-General of Benefits at SPF, emphasised that retirement benefits and social benefits play a vital role in addressing the challenges faced by the elderly by providing sustainable financial support, alongside programmes that promote their integration into society.
He added that the fund’s role is not limited to providing financial benefits alone, but also seeks to continuously develop the social protection system in line with economic changes. He explained that, in early 2025, pensions for the elderly were increased for the first time in implementation of the Social Protection Law. He noted that this increase was in response to the needs of retirees, taking into account inflation and economic variables to ensure continued effective support.
Al Harthy emphasised that financial stability plays a fundamental role in promoting the psychological and social well-being of this group, as it helps reduce anxiety about the future and gives them the opportunity to engage in society and participate in various activities, which positively impacts their mental health.
Regarding programmes complementing retirement benefits, Al Harthy noted that the Social Protection Law guarantees every Omani who reaches the age of senior citizens a monthly benefit of RO 115, even if they have no previous employment history. He also explained that there are other initiatives that help the elderly remain in the labour market, so that reaching retirement age does not hinder those who wish to continue contributing and benefit from their experience.
Al Harthy revealed a major digital transformation taking place within the fund, including the launch of advanced electronic services to facilitate access to benefits. As many as 172,672 elderly people benefited as of the end of February 2025.