Well-designed and managed social benefit programmes should target the most vulnerable persons in society to ensure that these individuals receive the support they need to improve their well-being.  Accordingly, benefit distribution should be timely and responsive to the needs of those who are considered poor and most vulnerable.

For 2021, the level of poverty in Jamaica was estimated to be 16.7 per cent of the population, reflecting a 5.7 percentage point increase relative to 2019. The relatively high rate of poverty underscores the importance of effective social protection programmes to achieve Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan (NDP) National Outcome No. 3 – Effective Social Protection.  One of the NDP Strategies to achieve this National Outcome is to “Create and sustain an effective, efficient, transparent and objective system for delivering social assistance services and programmes”.

The Auditor General’s Department (AuGD) is conducting a performance audit on the topic “Managing Government’s Social Benefit Programmes” focusing on non-contributory social benefit programmes. The audit will focus primarily on assessing the administration of social benefit programmes by various central government entities and local authorities in distributing social benefits to the poor and most vulnerable in society. It will consider the effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of social benefits to identify what is and is not working and make recommendations for improvement. In scoping this study, we have considered carefully how the audit will contribute to the AuGD’s wider strategic aim to promote improvements in the use of public funds through better governance and resource management.

We are seeking to gather diverse perspectives and opinions of stakeholders, such as beneficiaries, civil society, and community organisations, to understand the varying needs and experiences, which will inform the study topic and recommendations.

Your comments, relevant to our study, can be communicated by completing the relevant fields on our feedback form or email us at audgen@auditorgeneral.gov.jm.    Please note that we may not respond to you directly due to the volume of information we receive.