A total of 50,000 vulnerable Jamaicans are to benefit from a new $1-billion ‘Solidarity Programme’ being introduced by the Government.

In announcing the programme as he wrapped up his contribution to the 2025/26 Budget Debate on Thursday, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness said vulnerable Jamaicans not enrolled in the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), or not receiving social pension, National Insurance Scheme (NIS) benefits, and who do not qualify for the Government’s Reverse Income Tax Credit, will qualify for a one-time cash grant of $20,000.

“Even Jamaicans who are not attached to anything, the State has compassion for you, the State is concerned about your welfare; the State cares about you. We stand in solidarity with you,” Holness said.

“This initiative will support elderly persons in need, youth not engaged in education or employment, microbusinesses affected by disaster, low-income informal workers, medically indigent individuals, and persons with disabilities facing economic hardship.

“We have to find all of these people who are in the society, who’re left out and who’re suffering,” Holness said.

Acknowledging that the Government recognises that some of these people may lack formal identification, and this may be a barrier to them participating in other social support programmes, the prime minister said, “The Government will assist them in obtaining birth certificates through the Operation Birthright Programme and securing a national identification card to facilitate their inclusion in future opportunities.”

He told the House that the Government will be repurposing the CARE (COVID Allocation of Resources for Employees) online portal, which was used to assist workers and businesses during the emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications will be made through this portal and referrals will be managed through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

He said Members of Parliament will be mandated to find the people in their constituencies who qualify and to ensure that they enrol in the programme.

“This Government remains committed to uplifting every Jamaican — because true economic progress must leave no one behind,” Holness said.

Additionally he announced that, effective June 1, 2025, the national minimum wage will be increased from $15,000 to $16,000 per 40-hour work week.