First advance payment for NIS pensioners on April 3

ADVANCE PAYMENTS will be made to pensioners in the next four weeks to “safeguard their lives and livelihoods and to help them prepare for likely restrictions on opening hours for businesses.”

The National Insurance Services (NIS) said this decision was taken following suggestions from Epidemiologists that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionate impact on persons over age 60 years with pre-existing conditions.

“Unfortunately, our valued pensioners are within this at-risk age-cohort and we must do whatever it takes to protect them,” a release from the NIS a said.

The last fortnightly pension payment was made today, March 27, 2020. The next payment will be made on April 3, 2020 for the four-week period March 30, 2020 to April 25, 2020. This will be followed by a payment on April 30, 2020, which will cover the fourweek period from April 27, 2020 to May 23, 2020.

“This means that the pensioners would not receive their normal fortnightly payments on April 10, 2020, April 24, 2020, May 8, 2020 and May 22, 2020 as they would have already received it in advance. The next payment date would be June 5, 2020 when pensioners would receive their usual fortnightly payment,” the release from the NIS said.

The NIS said this initiative has been taken to: (i) Limit pensioners’ interaction into public places which align with the social distancing protocols. (ii) Minimize the exposure of pensioners to the risk of spreading of COVID-19. (iii) Assist pensioners with funds to purchase food, medicine and payment of utility bills before a possible national shutdown/ state of emergency. (iv) Being responsive to the evolving situation and the direct needs of our pensioners.