| Date: | 1997- |
| Web: | Official website of the programme |
| Description: | This program seeks to support people with disabilities and limited economic resourses who do not have the possibility to work and produce their own income as a result of their disability. |
Characteristics
| Target population: | People with disabilities under 64 years of age and with limited economic resources. |
| Area of intervention: | Non-contributory pension |
| Geographic scale: | National |
| Targeting method: | 1) Categorical: Recipients must meet the following eligibility criteria: be under 64 years of age, have low economic resources and have been legal residents of Trinidad and Tobago for at least 3 years from the time of application and not have been absent from the country for more than 6 months during those 3 years. 2) Direct means test: Annual income lower than TTD $ 12,000. |
| Instrument of selection: | General form of application to the program and medical report |
| Registry of recipients: | National Registry of People with Disabilities |
| Exit strategies or criteria: | The disability assistance grant is cancelled when the person fails to meet the eligibility criteria regarding level of disability, income, age and residence in the country. The grant will be canceled immediately if the applicant provides false information. |
| Comments: | As part of the measures to face the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and social isolation, additional transfers were made, for a period of three months, to users of the Public Assistance and Disability Grant programs. In addition, food support was given to people who applied for the allowance but whose applications are still pending. In 2019, the age limit (from 18 to 64 years old) was eliminated to allow access to the program to families with children under 18 years of age with disabilities. A new component called "Disability Assistance Grant for Minors" was introduced, in which the age criterion to receive the Disability Assistance Grant is eliminated. This in order to include children with disabilities, who previously received payments from "Special Children" and "Public Assistance Grant". In order to access the Disability Assistance Grant, people must submit a general form and a medical report, which must be collected at their local board office in their respective district. After completing these forms, people should meet with the Local Public Assistance Board for them to make a disability assessment. The Local Public Assistance Board may accept or decline the application. |
Institutionality
| Legal framework: | Public Assistance Act Chapter 32:03 |
| Responsible organization(s): | Ministry of the People and Social Development, Central Board of Public Assistance |
| Executing organization(s): | Local Public Assistance Boards |
| Responsible organization(s) for the registry of recipients: | Local Public Assistance Boards |
| Source of funding: | Government of Trinidad and Tobago |
1) Disability Assistance Grant (DAG)
| Recipient(s): | People from 18 to 64 years old with permanent disability and who are unable to generate income due to their disability. |
| Mode of transfer: | Flat transfer |
| Mode of delivery: | Transfer to bank account or check mailed directly to recipient's address |
| Periodicity of delivery: | Monthly |
| Recipient of the transfer: | Direct participant |
| Maximum per household: | … |
| Conditionalities: | nan |
| Sanctions: | If false information is provided, the recipient is responsible for paying a TTD $1,000 fine. |
| Comments: | Program participants must be certified by a government physician. |
| Amount : | TTD $2,000 in 2020 |
2) Disability Assistance Grant for Minors (DAGM)
| Recipient(s): | People under 18 years of age with severe or permanent disability. |
| Mode of transfer: | Flat transfer |
| Mode of delivery: | Transfer to bank account or check mailed directly to recipient's address |
| Periodicity of delivery: | Monthly |
| Recipient of the transfer: | Direct participant |
| Maximum per household: | … |
| Conditionalities: | … |
| Sanctions: | … |
| Comments: | … |
| Amount : | TTD $1,500 in 2020 |
Public Assistance Act Chapter 32:03
| Author: | Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs |
| Date: | 2015 |
| Publication info: | Laws of Trinidad and Tobago |
| Link: | See Webpage |
| Topic: | Description of the program |
