How to apply for social welfare

UAE nationals can apply for social subsidy services under the social welfare policy through the website of Ministry of Community Empowerment. Find links for availing social assistance from local government entities:

• Apply for periodic social assistance - for nationals from Dubai - Community Development Authority
• Apply for financial assistance if your monthly income is less than the approved support line in Abu Dhabi (for nationals of Abu Dhabi only, content in Arabic only) - The Abu Dhabi Social Support Programme 
• ِApply for social welfare -Family Development Foundation, Abu Dhabi
• Apply for financial assistance if your income is equal to or less than the assistance provided by the Ministry of Community Development (for nationals of Sharjah only, content in Arabic only) - Social Services Department in Sharjah.

Social Welfare Programme

Social Welfare Programme

The Social Welfare Programme is a federal initiative implemented by Ministry of Community Empowerment. It provides an integrated social safety net to Emirati families, with an aim to enhance social stability, improve quality of life, and promote financial independence.

The programme focuses on the most vulnerable groups in society and offers a comprehensive system of support through structured monthly allowances tailored to the family’s needs. Eligibility is determined based on the applicant’s social and economic situation, in line with approved criteria and regulations.

The vision of the programme

In 2022, a new vision for the Social Welfare Programme was adopted as part of a comprehensive restructuring. It reflects the UAE’s commitment to empowering low-income Emirati families, strengthening their role in society and enabling their economic participation.

The programme promotes the principle of shared responsibility and seeks to establish a model that balances social stability with economic productivity.

It aims to protect vulnerable groups and provide a more inclusive and sustainable support framework.

Objectives of the programme

The objectives of Social Welfare Programme are to:

1. provide an integrated social safety net by delivering effective financial assistance to low-income families to meet their essential needs, enhance stability, and ensure a dignified standard of living
2. protect the most vulnerable by offering a comprehensive social support to citizens facing exceptional health or social challenges
3. promote economic empowerment by enabling capable beneficiaries to gradually integrate into the labour market and achieve financial independence
4. encourage shared responsibility - by fostering active participation in empowerment opportunities and employment as part of a sustainable support system
5. ensure crisis and emergency response by delivering timely support to safeguard families during abnormally difficult circumstances.

Coordination with local governments

The Social Welfare Programme works in coordination with local governments in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah to ensure harmonised efforts and to avoid duplication.

Citizens may apply to either or both; the federal or the local programmes. In cases where applicants qualify for both, federal support will be provided first. Local authorities may provide a top-up if the limit of their allowance exceeds that of the federal support.

Allowances under the Social Welfare Programme

The amounts of the allowances were based on comprehensive studies of living conditions in the UAE, including data from the Household Income and Expenditure Survey conducted by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, as well as cost of living and income indicators. These studies identified the essential costs for low-income families, ensuring that the support provided is effective, equitable and sustainable.

Under the Social Welfare Programme, Emiratis are provided with a basic allowance and a supplementary allowance.

Basic allowance includes:

1. primary beneficiary allowance
2. spouse allowance
3. children's allowance.

Supplementary allowance

This allowance is provided to the families that are already receiving the basic allowance mentioned above. Supplementary allowance includes:

1. housing allowance
2. academic excellence allowance for higher education
3. seasonal allowance.

Additionally, MoCE provides inflation allowance, which includes:

• fuel allowance
• food allowance and
• electricity and water allowance.

1. Housing allowance

It is offered to families who do not receive any government housing support. This allowance is adjusted according to the family size, housing and living conditions.

Documents required

The applicant must submit:

2. a copy of the housing rental contract or its electricity and water bill
3. proof of family relationship
4. proof that no buildings are constructed on the land that he/she may own
5. proof of ownership of the jointly owned or inherited property.

Submit documents online through the website of MOCE/‘My files’ page.

Conditions for obtaining the housing allowance

To receive housing allowance, the applicant must:

• be at least 25 years old
• not own residential property, nor have a spouse or child under 21, who own a suitable residential property, or a residential property granted by a federal or local government entity
• not be receiving any housing financial support from a federal or local government. If any is received, it must be less than the approved housing allowance.
• not have a residence provided by his/her employer, or by the employer of any dependent family member.

2. Academic excellence allowance for higher education

It is provided to university students who are the children or siblings of social support beneficiaries, and have achieved outstanding results in their studies. The amount of allowance allocated to them is increased to motivate them to continue their education and academic excellence.

Documents required

The applicant must submit a copy of the academic transcript or record of the most recent semester for the high-achieving student.

Submit documents online through the website of MOCE/‘My files’ page.

Conditions for obtaining the academic excellence allowance

1. To receive the academic excellence allowance, the applicant must: be residing in the UAE and have officially enrolled in a recognised government or private higher education institute accredited by Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
2. have completed at least 12 credit hours in the previous academic term, and obtained a GPA of 3.3, or equivalent.

3. Seasonal allowance

This allowance is granted to the beneficiary on special occasions, such as national holidays.

Inflation allowance

The Inflation allowance is a temporary support initiated to mitigate the impact of rising living costs caused by global inflation. It covers expenses for: fuel, food, and electricity and water.

The allowance is disbursed monthly as credit to eligible beneficiaries and is implemented under the supervision of Ministry of Community Empowerment.

This allowance was designed based on technical studies that analysed price trends and average household spending.

The inflation allowance rates shown below have been set in accordance with the Cabinet Resolution No. 58 of 2025 Regarding Inflation Allowance.

• Fuel allowance

The fuel allowance covers 85 per cent of the increase in fuel prices subject to a maximum amount as shown in the table below.

• Food allowance

The food allowance covers 75 per cent of the increase in food prices subject to a maximum amount as shown in the table below.

• Electricity and water allowance

The electricity and water allowance covers 50 per cent of consumption costs, or AED 400 per month, whichever is lower. 

Find steps to apply for the inflation allowance.

How to apply for the Social Welfare Programme?

Find steps to apply for social support.

The social welfare system

At the federal level, Ministry of Community Empowerment oversees the UAE's social welfare system. The ministry makes specific allocations to the country's women's organisations to ensure that all those in need, particularly women in rural areas, have access to both an economic safety net and assistance.

In addition, the government supports social welfare and rehabilitation centres that provides assistance to the needy and disabled.

Eligibility and value for social welfare

The UAE law stipulates that only nationals residing in UAE can avail the social assistance provided by Ministry of Community Empowerment. However, it made some exceptions to this rule.

An Emirati woman who is married to a foreigner may seek a monthly assistance for herself and her children if her husband:

• suffers from a disability which impedes his work ability
• is imprisoned for a period of not less than two months
• is being deported.

An Emirati woman can also seek social assistance for herself if her foreigner husband has no income for a reason behind his control, or if her husband's income is less than the average required to run a family.

An Emirati widow from her marriage to a foreigner and her children are also entitled for social assistance.

Further, a divorcee or a widow of an Emirati man can seek welfare for herself if she has children of that marriage and resides in the country and if she has no source of income or well-to-do provider.

The value of the social welfare

The value/amount of social assistance is decided by the UAE Cabinet and on the recommendation of the Minister of Community Empowerment.

If the beneficiary has another source of income, the assistance amount will be reduced in proportion to that income, given that the assistance does not go below AED 625 per person.

For values of social assistance, refer to Cabinet Decision No. 21 for 2005 and No. 14 for 2008 regarding amendments on social welfare values on the Ministry of Community Empowerment website.

Special cases

People, whose applications were declined, may submit a petition to the Minister within 60 days of being informed of the decision.

The assistance amount may not to be given up or seized, unless it will be used to fulfil a court-ordered assistance for one of the beneficiary's family members.

In case the applicant provided false information or falsifying documents, the ministry has the right to stop the assistance and request for reimbursement of the amount given.

The committee has the right to pay the assistance to the legal guardian, if it is proved that the beneficiary is not qualified to handle the assistance for any reason.

The complete assistance amount is given to the beneficiary's family in case of his death.

Social welfare against disasters

Cabinet Decision No 22 for 2008 provides about monetary compensation to citizens for their losses because of personal or natural disasters which include fire and drowning besides other calamities specified by the supreme committee in coordination with other ministries.

The compensation amounts range from 50 to 80 per cent of the total estimate of losses in money and properties resulting from the disasters.

The ministry is also tasked with providing urgent aid such as food and shelter needed immediately after the disaster. Article 2 of the law provides that the ministry will provide within two days of notification about the disaster, an urgent cash relief of AED 300 per person affected per day.

Useful links

• Federal Law No. 2 of 2001 regarding Social Welfare in the UAE (PDF, 2 MB)

Abu Dhabi Social Support Programme

The Abu Dhabi Social Support Programme (website in Arabic only) is an income-based scheme that is managed by the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi. It is also executed as part of Abu Dhabi’s development accelerator programme ‘Ghadan 21’ and the establishment of social welfare and other development initiatives to support Abu Dhabi’s limited-income Emirati families and provide a decent life for them. In addition to financial support, the programme empowers individuals who can work and enables them to secure jobs more easily in partnership with several government entities.

Conditions

Every householder in Abu Dhabi with a family book issued by the emirate may apply for financial assistance if their monthly income is less than the approved support line, which is determined according family's size, structure and total income. If the family’s total income falls short, the department will grant the financial benefit to make up for the difference. 

Divorced women and widows too can apply for the scheme.

For evaluation, the programme will accept applications submitted from 6 January 2019 until 31 March 2019. Applicants who meet the programme's terms and criteria will receive support in April 2019 which will be retroactive from 1 January 2019.

How to apply for Abu Dhabi Social Support Programme?

Eligible applicants can apply through the website of Abu Dhabi Social Support Programme (website in Arabic only), after registering with the UAE Pass.

People of determination (special needs’ people) and senior Emiratis who need technical assistance, may visit one of the Tamm’s services centres in Abu Dhabi city, Al Dhafrah and Al Ain.

For more inquiries, please contact Abu Dhabi Government Call Centre on 800555.

Social assistance in Dubai

Community Development Authority (CDA) offers a variety of social benefits to citizens in Dubai. It offers periodic benefits for citizens to meet their daily living expenses.

It offers one-time benefits of maximum value of AED 50,000 for facilities for medical treatment and education.

It offers emergency benefit in cash up to AED 25,000 in times of emergency situations that result in a threat to life.

CDA also offers one-time assistance by providing cash to low-income families to buy air-conditioner and furnish their homes.

Bunyan card

Dubai Municipality launched the Bunyan card under the theme ‘We build happiness for a better life’ for UAE citizens aged 18 years and above. The card provides citizens with discounts and offers on furniture to meet their needs of building materials and home furnishings at reduced price, thus providing them with good financial savings.

 A citizen can get the Bunyan card from Dubai Municipality centres at Al Tawar, Al Kafaf  and Hatta.

Social assistance system in Sharjah

The Social Services Department in Sharjah offers an assistance for the low-income citizens of the Emirate of Sharjah, whose income is equal to or less than the assistance provided by the Ministry of Community Development. The website has content only in Arabic.