Barbados’ flagship cost of living support programme has successfully completed its first round of payments, delivering much-needed financial relief to more than 54,000 eligible residents across the island, the National Insurance and Social Security Service (NISSS) confirmed in an official announcement Friday evening. A total of $5.4 million has been disbursed to registered qualifying recipients, with payments processed and issued this Monday, according to NISSS Chief Executive Officer Kim Tudor.
Designed to counter rising household expenses, the Cost of Living Cash Credit (COLCC) provides $100 in monthly assistance to qualifying low-income and senior residents for a full 12-month period. Funded through the national Consolidated Fund, the initiative is overseen by NISSS on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, with outreach efforts already underway to expand access to every eligible Barbadian, regardless of their location.
Breaking down the first round distribution, Tudor explained that just under 30,000 beneficiaries received their funds via direct bank transfer, while more than 24,000 were sent physical cheques through the postal service. Eligible groups covered in this initial disbursement include existing NIS and public sector pensioners, individuals receiving special needs grants, and seniors aged 65 and older who do not currently receive any form of pension income. Separate payments for April were issued directly to general welfare recipients through the Social Empowerment Agency (SEA), Tudor added.
In a statement highlighting the agency’s longstanding commitment to Barbadians, Tudor emphasized: “We said we would deliver and we did. Every eligible registered beneficiary received their $100 by direct bank deposit or cheque. This is NISSS doing what it has done for over fifty-eight years: honouring its commitment to the people of Barbados.”
As of last Thursday, a further 1,189 people have completed new registrations for the programme, a surge that followed targeted community registration drives held at three accessible locations: the Speightstown Resource Centre on Queen’s Street in St Peter, SEA’s Six Roads office in St Philip, and the Southern Plaza location in Oistins, Christ Church. Tudor stressed that the government is committed to reaching eligible residents outside of the capital’s central corridor, noting: “The COLCC is for every eligible Barbadian — not just those who live near Bridgetown. We are taking registration to where people are, and we will continue to do so until every eligible person has been reached.”
For added convenience, residents can also verify their eligibility and complete the registration process online through the official programme portal at colcc.nis.gov.bb. To complete registration, applicants must present a valid national government-issued photo ID. Those opting for direct deposit are also required to provide a recent bank statement head to confirm their account details.
NISSS is currently urging two specific groups to prioritize registration: seniors aged 65 and older who are still waiting for their pension applications to be approved, and individuals who will turn 65 between the programme’s launch date of April 1 this year and March 31, 2027. “These groups are eligible to receive the COLCC from the month of their 65th birthday until March 2027,” Tudor confirmed.
Per the programme’s scheduling rules, any new applications submitted after April 20 will not be processed until the next monthly payment cycle on May 20, with the first payment including all retroactive funds owed for April. The full programme runs for the entire current fiscal cycle, from April 1 2025 through March 31 2027, and is subject to renewal by government ministers after the initial term.