Beneficiaries of the Public Assistance Programme (PAP) are being reminded to participate in the mandatory card renewal and national information update exercise designed to strengthen beneficiary records and ensure the continued and accurate delivery of monthly assistance to eligible households.
Beneficiaries are also being encouraged to take advantage of the multiple Welfare Office locations available across the island to complete the process at the office closest to them. The verification and card update exercise runs from March 10 to April 13, 2026, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. daily at Welfare Offices islandwide.
Emphasizing the accessibility of the service, Deputy Director with responsibility for the Social Protection Unit, Jahn McFarlene, said, “I want to emphasize that Welfare Offices are located in various constituencies throughout the island. Many times, people tend to gravitate toward the Castries office, but it is not necessary to come to Castries. We also have offices in Vieux Fort, Soufrière, Babonneau, and Dennery. Beneficiaries can visit the office nearest to them, where a Welfare Officer will be available to assist.”
Currently, the Public Assistance Programme supports over 3,300 households across Saint Lucia. However, due to existing budgetary constraints, the programme operates with a maximum capacity of 3,600 households, while over 1,000 additional households remain on the waiting list seeking assistance. The ongoing verification process therefore plays a critical role in ensuring that programme records remain accurate and that available resources are directed to households that genuinely require support.
“An important aspect of the review is to ensure proof of life. Essentially, we need to confirm that the assistance we send out is being received by the intended beneficiaries. This process helps us verify that individuals are still alive and continue to require the support,” she added.
McFarlene also highlighted that alternative arrangements exist for beneficiaries who may be unable to attend the verification exercise in person. “We do have persons with disabilities, as well as bedridden individuals and others with medical conditions who may not be able to visit our offices. In such situations, these individuals may have proxies who act on their behalf, and we ask that the proxy come in with the necessary information to complete the update.”
However, beneficiaries are reminded that failure to report to the Welfare Office within the stipulated deadlines will result in the suspension of Public Assistance payments and possible removal from the Programme. Households removed due to non-compliance will be required to undergo the full reapplication process to be reconsidered for assistance.
“If they do not follow up, and within a month after the exercise has ended, we are still unable to locate those persons, then the funds will be suspended. Another important aspect of the programme is that once a household’s situation improves, for example, if someone becomes employed or their children have completed secondary school, we encourage beneficiaries to exit the programme. This allows us to extend support to new households and help them reach a point of resilience and self-sufficiency,” Deputy Director, McFarlene explained.
Beneficiaries are strongly urged to present all required documentation in full and to cooperate fully with Welfare Officers to ensure a smooth and timely update process.
To date, approximately 300 beneficiaries have already been reviewed, and eligible households are encouraged to visit the Welfare Office nearest to them as soon as possible to complete the verification exercise and avoid any disruption to their monthly Public Assistance benefits.