The government has been urged to reintroduce cost-of-living allowances for low-income self-employed citizens, including driving instructors.
His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, ordered the Social Development Ministry to increase financial support for low-income families through the cost-of-living allowance, effective this month.
The proposal has been submitted by five MPs who argue that rising living costs, coupled with stagnant or unstable incomes, have left many families with self-employed breadwinners struggling to meet basic needs.
They emphasised the need for government support measures to ease the economic pressure on these vulnerable groups.
MP Zainab Abdulamir, one of the proposal’s signatories, said the move was driven by ‘real hardship being faced by citizens’.
“Earlier, self-employed Bahrainis were considered low-income as they lacked proper documentation to verify wages or net monthly income,” said Ms Abdulamir.
“However, the Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission ruled that without confirming whether their income is below BD1,000, they were not entitled to such allowances in any form.
“This is unfair as they do not have a fixed source of income. For example, driving instructors – the main category – cannot predict whether they will have one student or 10, earning BD5 per hour for up to 18 hours. The same applies to fishermen, who cannot know if they will catch 100kg or one tonne in a given month.
“The cost-of-living allowance was introduced to protect low-income families from economic shocks. Suspending it for the self-employed groups, while prices continue to rise, has placed many people under severe financial strain.”
Strategic Thinking Bloc spokesman MP Khalid Bu Onk said these workers had been ‘unfairly excluded’.
“Self-employed citizens are among the most vulnerable to economic volatility,” he said. “Driving instructors, in particular, depend on daily demand, and cutting their allowance has left many unable to cope with rent, utilities and household expenses.”
Parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee chairman and Strategic Thinking Bloc president MP Ahmed Al Salloom stressed that the proposal aligns with national objectives of social balance and economic justice.
“Supporting low-income earners is a cornerstone of social stability,” he said.
“Reinstating the allowance for affected groups reinforces the state’s commitment to fairness and ensures that no segment of society is left behind during challenging economic conditions.”
MP Hisham Al Awadhi said the urgency of the proposal reflects the immediate consequences being felt on the ground.
“Several families are already struggling and delaying action will only deepen the problem. That is why we have asked for urgent consideration,” he added.
Meanwhile, MP Eman Shuwaiter highlighted the broader social impact of continuing to withhold the allowance.
“When financial pressure increases on low-income earners, it affects not only individuals but the wider community,” she said.
The MPs warn that failure to act swiftly could lead to deeper economic insecurity among vulnerable groups, defeating the purpose of welfare support policies.
Parliament will place the topic for debate and a vote during today’s session.
Low-income families in Bahrain received a New Year gift of increased cost-of-living allowances, as reported in the GDN.
Allowance were increased to BD130 monthly for families where the main breadwinner earns less than BD300 monthly, BD97 per month where the breadwinner earns between BD301 and BD700 per month and BD75 monthly where the primary income earner earns between BD701 and BD1,000 monthly.
The decision is in line with the Royal directives of His Majesty King Hamad, reflecting his vision for comprehensive development with citizens at its core.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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