KINGSTON, Jamaica — An additional 10,000 National Housing Trust (NHT) contributors are set to receive their contribution refund for the year 2018 by Monday.

Supervisor for the Contributions, Refunds, Payments and Monitoring Unit, Cameo Simmons Thomas, said that the latest payments, totalling approximately $39 million, form part of a strong payout cycle over the past five weeks.

“In the past five weeks, we have received 220,000 applications. Of this amount, we have successfully processed and paid 131,000 refunds, amounting to a whopping $5.9 billion,” she said while addressing a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank on February 5.

Simmons Thomas also highlighted the expanded access to cash refunds for mortgagors.

She explained that prior to last year, only public-sector mortgage holders were eligible to apply. However, since July 2025, the benefit has been extended to all mortgage holders in good standing.

“This means once there are no errors, you can go online and apply for your contributions refund,” she noted.

Explaining how the system works, Simmons Thomas said contributors pay two per cent of their salary monthly, which employers remit to the NHT annually. The funds are held for seven years and become refundable in the eighth year, with interest.

“The NHT not only holds the funds for seven years but contributors earn two per cent interest on the amount each year. At the end of the period, that totals approximately 14 per cent,” she explained.

She noted that while application volumes typically spike in January, refunds may be requested at any time during the year and from anywhere by visiting the trust’s website (nht.gov.jm) or online platform (NHT Online).