Consultadtion on Developing Mechanisms for Determining the National Sufficiency Threshold (for Limited income people ) in the United Arab Emirates
Introduction
As part of the UAE Government's commitment to enhancing quality of life and improving living standards for all members of society, the relevant authorities are working to develop accurate measurement tools that ensure the fair and transparent allocation of social support and assistance. In line with this approach, this public consultation aims to gather public opinions and suggestions on developing mechanisms for determining the National Adequacy Threshold, one of the key indicators used in designing social support policies and assessing eligibility for zakat and social aid. Your participation represents an essential contribution to supporting the efforts of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, and Zakat in building a more precise and equitable support system that meets the requirements of a dignified life across all Emirates of the nation.
Consultation Topic
The National Sufficiency Threshold is an economic and social benchmark that defines the minimum level of income required to meet a family's basic needs and ensure a decent standard of living. This benchmark is based on a realistic basket of essential goods and services-including housing and utilities, food, healthcare, education, transportation, and other basic necessities-while taking into account family size, composition, and regional price variations across the Emirates. The Sufficiency Threshold serves as a key tool for designing social support programs, ensuring equitable resource distribution to beneficiaries, and reviewing policies periodically to keep pace with changing living costs, thereby enhancing transparency and spending efficiency. In this context, the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments is conducting a study on the National Sufficiency Threshold to update eligibility criteria for zakat and social assistance, in alignment with the UAE's vision of social justice and community solidarity.
Consultation Objective
This consultation seeks to gather public feedback and proposals on developing mechanisms for determining the National Adequacy Threshold, ensuring the fair distribution of social and zakat assistance. The ultimate goal is to establish a more accurate and flexible social support and zakat system that reflects the living realities of families across the Emirates and reinforces the UAE's core principles of social justice and community solidarity.
Expected Outcomes
1. Developing an updated and accurate mechanism for determining the National Sufficiency Threshold that accounts for geographical variations and price changes.
2. Improving the targeting and allocation of financial and social support to deserving groups.
3. Standardizing criteria and policies between federal and local entities for assessing living needs.
4. Creating a shared national database to regularly update living-cost indicators and support evidence-based policymaking.
5. Enhancing spending efficiency and transparency in social and zakat support programs nationwide.
As part of the UAE Government's commitment to enhancing quality of life and improving living standards for all members of society, the relevant authorities are working to develop accurate measurement tools that ensure the fair and transparent allocation of social support and assistance. In line with this approach, this public consultation aims to gather public opinions and suggestions on developing mechanisms for determining the National Adequacy Threshold, one of the key indicators used in designing social support policies and assessing eligibility for zakat and social aid. Your participation represents an essential contribution to supporting the efforts of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, and Zakat in building a more precise and equitable support system that meets the requirements of a dignified life across all Emirates of the nation.
Consultation Topic
The National Sufficiency Threshold is an economic and social benchmark that defines the minimum level of income required to meet a family's basic needs and ensure a decent standard of living. This benchmark is based on a realistic basket of essential goods and services-including housing and utilities, food, healthcare, education, transportation, and other basic necessities-while taking into account family size, composition, and regional price variations across the Emirates. The Sufficiency Threshold serves as a key tool for designing social support programs, ensuring equitable resource distribution to beneficiaries, and reviewing policies periodically to keep pace with changing living costs, thereby enhancing transparency and spending efficiency. In this context, the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments is conducting a study on the National Sufficiency Threshold to update eligibility criteria for zakat and social assistance, in alignment with the UAE's vision of social justice and community solidarity.
Consultation Objective
This consultation seeks to gather public feedback and proposals on developing mechanisms for determining the National Adequacy Threshold, ensuring the fair distribution of social and zakat assistance. The ultimate goal is to establish a more accurate and flexible social support and zakat system that reflects the living realities of families across the Emirates and reinforces the UAE's core principles of social justice and community solidarity.
Expected Outcomes
1. Developing an updated and accurate mechanism for determining the National Sufficiency Threshold that accounts for geographical variations and price changes.
2. Improving the targeting and allocation of financial and social support to deserving groups.
3. Standardizing criteria and policies between federal and local entities for assessing living needs.
4. Creating a shared national database to regularly update living-cost indicators and support evidence-based policymaking.
5. Enhancing spending efficiency and transparency in social and zakat support programs nationwide.
Outcome
Suggestions and Observations
- Proactively identifying those in need to ensure effective allocation of support.
- Utilizing surplus Zakat funds to establish investment projects, the proceeds of
which benefit eligible groups in the community.
- Enacting a law requiring companies to deposit their Zakat automatically into the authority's
account at the end of each fiscal year, accompanied by distributing a
similar survey to companies at the start.
- Creating communication channels with all segments of society to identify and record
all Zakat-eligible cases.
- Opening the application process for a full year to ensure inclusivity.
- Reducing case review time to accommodate the needs of beneficiaries and expedite
support delivery.
Some suggestions also emphasized
that eligibility should be based on careful study, research, and
verification of beneficiaries' conditions, not solely on the stated need.
The authority confirmed that it already conducts proper assessments to ensure
actual eligibility.
Based on the above, the proposals
are to be submitted to the relevant management for action.
