Financial relief for ‘single’

A new push to include unmarried Bahrainis in public aid schemes aims to support those delaying marriage due to financial strain.

The proposal, submitted to Parliament by a group of MPs, calls for single citizens to be brought into existing support programmes including the costof-living allowance, electricity and water subsidies, social housing and job training.

“Many unmarried Bahrainis are left out, though plenty are supporting their families,” said MP Hamad Al Doy. “Some look after their parents, siblings or even grandparents. We have close-knit families in Bahrain, and support schemes should take that into account.”

The MPs want eligible single Bahrainis to be considered for conditional financial aid, with assessments to take into account their household responsibilities and social situation.

They also propose giving priority to unmarried applicants in employment and training schemes. Al Doy said the aim is to bring current rules in line with how people live today.

“People are marrying later than they used to, but many are still carrying heavy loads. Support shouldn’t depend on your marital status,” he said.

Help

The lawmaker said limiting help to couples or families no longer matches the country’s social make-up.

Expanding the criteria, he added, would help keep things fair and steady.

The MP closed by urging the government and concerned bodies to study the proposal carefully, saying it would benefit many younger Bahrainis and provide a wider safety net.