Single parents’ allowance slashed a day after increase; gov’t reverses gazetted amendment
The government reversed amendments to single parent benefits within 24 hours, reducing the maximum monthly payment from MVR 15,000 to MVR 12,000. The new regulation caps benefits at MVR 3,000 per child for up to four children, removing additional support for families with more children. This change reduces annual disbursements from MVR 180,000 to MVR 144,000, affecting 2,895 single parents receiving assistance for 4,940 children.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu
An amendment to regulations gazetted on Thursday, which allowed single mothers and fathers to receive benefits of up to MVR 15,000 from the state budget, has been reversed within 24 hours, with the maximum benefit now reduced to MVR 12,000.
The National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) on Friday announced the change and gazetted the revised amendment to the regulations.
Six years ago, state financial assistance to single parents was increased from MVR 3,000 to MVR 10,000. Under the regulation amended and gazetted on Thursday, the maximum amount payable to single mothers and fathers had been raised to MVR 15,000, amounting to MVR 180,000 annually.
With the change introduced on Thursday, the benefit per child, for up to four children, was increased to MVR 3,000 per month, while parents with more than four children were to receive an additional MVR 1,000 for each extra child. However, under the amendment gazetted on Friday, no additional funds will be provided for more than four children. The maximum benefit payable will now be capped at MVR 12,000, calculated at a rate of MVR 3,000 per child for four children.
Although President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu had increased the maximum monthly amount payable to single parents to MVR 15,000 on Thursday, this amount was reduced to MVR 12,000 on Friday. As a result, the total annual disbursement has been cut from MVR 180,000 to MVR 144,000.
In October 2024 President Muizzu announced that the allowance for single parents would be increased starting from January 2026, and this allocation was also included in the state budget approved for the upcoming year.
According to the latest statistics released by NSPA, there are 2,895 single mothers or fathers living in impoverished conditions, and financial assistance is currently being provided to 4,940 children.
