Muscat: The beneficiaries entitled to social protection benefits will receive the benefit starting from January 18, 2024, provided they have registered before January 10.
Beneficiaries registered later during the same month will receive the benefit starting at the end of the month.
Based on Article (3) of the Executive Regulations of the Social Protection Law, the disbursement shall be retroactive for a maximum period of three months, provided that the conditions for entitlement to the benefit are met.
More than 1, 153,000 people have registered for social protection benefits as of January 4, 2024.
The regulations specify the controls for entitlement to the benefit for orphans and widows and the amount of the benefit if there is more than one orphan or widow, and the death of both or one of the parents, and if the orphan or widow is entitled to a pension or If a share of the pensions due from the social insurance branches is less than the value of the orphans and widows benefit, the difference between them will be paid from the orphans and widows benefit branch. Conditions required to be eligible for the orphans’ benefit include that the orphans must be Omani, one or both parents must be orphans, the father or parents are unknown and are considered orphans, The age of the orphan must not exceed 18 years and must be a resident of the Sultanate of Oman.
Article 35 states conditions required to be eligible for the widows’ benefit are the widow must be an Omani, must not have reached the age of the elderly, It must be a resident of the Sultanate of Oman by the provisions of Article (8) of this law. The entitlement to the widows' benefit stops after marriage, and it is not redisbursed except in the event of widowhood again. Article (36) states that it is permissible to combine the benefits for orphans and widows and all benefits and pensions except for the benefit for the elderly so that the disbursement of the widow’s benefit is stopped for the widow when she is entitled to the benefit for the elderly. Article 31 states that benefit persons with disabilities are entitled to RO130 per month if the person meets the following conditions - must be Omani, must have a permanent disability or a permanent illness that requires care or support as specified in the regulations and must be a resident of the Sultanate of Oman.
The regulations specify the controls for entitlement to the benefit of persons with disabilities, the types of disabilities, their degree classification, the disability and permanent diseases covered, and the mechanism for proving them, after coordination with the competent authorities.
Article 32 states that it is permissible to combine the benefit for persons with disabilities with all benefits and pensions except the childhood benefit and the benefit for the elderly. If entitlement to the benefit for persons with disabilities coincides with the childhood benefit or the benefit for the elderly, the higher of the two shall be disbursed.
The Social Protection Fund has stated that registration for benefits for widows, orphans, people with disabilities, and family income will be opened in the coming days.
It may be noted that Article 30 states that a monthly amount of RO115 will be disbursed to the children and elderly starting from the month of reaching 60 years of age if the person fulfills the following conditions - must be Omani, must have reached the age of the elderly, and must be a resident of the Sultanate of Oman. As per Article 37, the childhood benefit will be payable at the rate of RO10 per month for each child if the conditions are met - must be Omani, must not have reached 18 years of age, and must be a resident of the Sultanate of Oman.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
