Pension department rues lack of registrations

Despite having access to a retirement gratuity and pension plan the UAE Department of Pension and Social Security states that the number of citizens who have filled the initial registration forms in the self-employed category are only 75.

Self-employed covers traders, engineers, doctors, lawyers, artists, landlords, craftsmen and entrepreneurs among others.

Mudhafar Al Haj, Director General, Arabic daily Emarat Al Youm, that the figure is disappointing in spite of a campaign launched to encourage citizens to register their names and fill the forms.

Al Haj stressed the need for those not covered by insurance to come under the umbrella of the scheme.

He said that the primary objective of this system is to ensure that all Emirati families are covered and insured.

According to Emarat Al Youm, the total payment of pensions provided by the department during the first quarter of this year amounted to Dh445 million, an increase of approximately 32 per cent over the same period last year.