2026/27 Budget Boosts for Labour and Social Security Programmes

The proposed Estimates of Expenditure for fiscal year 2026/27 reflect increases across several key programmes and agencies within the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

This was disclosed by Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., in his opening remarks on March 6 during the meeting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives at Gordon House, where members were reviewing the Estimates.

For the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC), Mr. Charles stated that welfare support for the elderly will increase by 44.3 per cent, representing an additional $22.248 million over the previous year.

“This allocation will be used to strengthen, in particular, our Meals on Wheels programme, which is a critical programme for us across the island, as well as to advance the critical organisational review of the NCSC, which will see us becoming much more efficient and structured in terms of the support offered to seniors across Jamaica,” he said.

Additionally, senior citizens will benefit from a major increase of more than 50 per cent in the Social Pension Programme, which has received an additional $500 million over the previous year.

The Minister said this reflects the Government’s continued commitment to supporting the elderly.

“I’ll highlight, also, the work permit services that will also see an increase of 32.53 per cent. This increase will go towards advancing the modernisation of the unit and the digitisation process for the work permit system,” he informed.

“The Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities will receive a 42.8 per cent increase [which will go] towards assistive aids, economic empowerment grants, and general rehabilitation support for persons with disabilities,” Mr. Charles added.

He further informed that the Early Stimulation Programme will receive a 16.5 per cent increase in its budgetary allocation, which will be directed towards the provision of additional physiotherapy, therapeutic, and clinical services.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has been allocated a proposed capital budget of $300.932 million.

“This represents a 122.9 per cent increase over the previous financial year. This is to support the continued implementation of our critical Social Protection for Increased Resilience and

Opportunity (SPIRO) Project, which is our strategic programme for strengthening social protection and labour market services in Jamaica,” Mr. Charles said.

“Under this initiative, the Ministry will advance a comprehensive Social Protection Information System, which will integrate the various social protection programmes into a unified platform… increasing efficiency and effectiveness to the benefit of all Jamaicans,” he added.

Minister Charles further stated that the SPIRO initiative will support several critical reforms, including enhancements to the Ministry’s administrative systems and the advancement of unemployment insurance within Jamaica’s social protection framework.