Barbados’ national social security authority has announced that its targeted cost-of-living relief program reached nearly 2,000 additional eligible households in its second monthly disbursement round, marking progress in expanding access to financial aid for residents struggling with rising everyday expenses. The National Insurance and Social Security Service (NISSS) confirmed that 56,259 qualifying Barbadians received their second Cost of Living Cash Credit (COLCC) payment in May, a net increase of 1,959 recipients compared to the initial April disbursement. In total, $5.6259 million was allocated from the government’s Consolidated Fund for this second round of aid.
According to the NISSS’s official breakdown, more than 62% of May payments – 34,945 disbursements – were issued as direct transfers to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, while the remaining 21,314 payments were sent as paper cheques via postal mail. The largest share of recipients consists of National Insurance pensioners with annual incomes below $50,000, followed by welfare clients registered through the Social Empowerment Agency, public sector pensioners, and Barbadian residents without existing pension or regular income support.
Agency officials attribute the month-over-month growth in recipients to three key adjustments: the addition of welfare beneficiaries newly identified by the Social Empowerment Agency, expanded access to 2025 income year data shared by the Barbados Revenue Authority, and the continued open registration process for eligible residents. NISSS Chief Executive Kim Tudor emphasized that the expanding reach of the program reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring no qualifying resident is left without the support they are legally entitled to. “We will continue to collaborate with our cross-agency partners to identify and reach out to all eligible people who have not yet been enrolled in the program,” Tudor stated in an official media release.
Tudor also addressed widespread reports of delayed direct deposit payments that impacted some recipients during the first April disbursement, noting that the NISSS had worked directly with domestic banking partners to implement targeted fixes for the May payment cycle. “We heard the concerns of residents who faced delays accessing their April deposits,” Tudor said. “We took intentional steps in collaboration with our banking partners to resolve these issues for May, and we will continue to closely monitor payment delivery to prevent future disruptions.” The NISSS has urged any beneficiary who continues to experience issues accessing their funds to contact their banking provider or the dedicated COLCC support desk for assistance.
First launched as a government anti-inflation initiative, the COLCC program provides $100 in monthly cash support to eligible Barbadian seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income welfare recipients for a 12-month period. Funded entirely through the national Consolidated Fund and administered by the NISSS on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, the initiative is scheduled to run through March 31, 2027. As of the May disbursement, 1,835 new residents have registered for the program since its launch, and registration remains open for all eligible Barbadians who have not yet submitted their applications.