MUSCAT : The social protection umbrella in the Sultanate of Oman is set to expand following new amendments approved under royal directives, with the changes expected to benefit around 100,000 people, according to figures released by the Government Communication Centre.

Under the amendments, the childhood benefit for school students from families eligible for Family Income Support has been doubled to RO 20 per month during the academic year, compared to RO 10 previously, providing additional support to low-income households with children.

As per the amendments, child support and share of pensions are no longer included in the income of a widow’s or divorced woman’s family when calculating the Family Income Support benefit.

In addition, income equivalent to the ability to work will no longer be counted for unmarried divorced women aged 40 and above without children, and widows without children, making them eligible for the full Family Income Support benefit of RO 115 per month. Orphaned daughters and divorced women who have reached the age of 31 are now classified as independent families for eligibility purposes.

The amendments further extend the job security allowance eligibility period from six months to 12 months, with the value of the allowance to be announced later by the relevant authorities.

Updates were also made to senior citizen benefits, introducing new eligibility criteria, while parents have been added as beneficiaries of death pensions in cases where no other eligible beneficiaries exist, in accordance with approved regulations.

The Social Protection Fund affirmed that the amendments come within the framework of the continuous supreme care of His Majesty, and reflect his vision of strengthening justice, social solidarity, and cohesion by directing support to the most vulnerable groups in society.

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