KUWAIT: It is possible for the number of Kuwaiti families that are eligible for social aid during the current year to reach more than 50,000, after the amendment of the social aid law to add Kuwaiti woman married to non-Kuwaitis, Al-Qabas reported yesterday quoting government sources. This means that a quarter of Kuwaiti families benefit from assistance, bearing in mind that the increase has reached 28 percent since 2013 compared to an earlier rate of 6 percent annually.

A concerned source said the law allows 15 needy categories to receive social aid with amounts starting from KD 559 up to KD 1,200 per month. He said not having rules for the process of financial payments and directing aid only to those who deserve it has increased the financial cost to more than KD 260 million per year, after it was KD 210 million in 2013.