Saudi Citizens Account still in place after royal decrees: report

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Labor and Social Development has denied news that the Citizen Accounts scheme will be cancelled, after King Salman’s decree on restoring bonuses and allowances for state employees and military personnel, Okaz newspaper reported Monday.

All citizens, however, are required to update their personal data following the announcement, or any change in disposable income or the number of family members and so on, said Majed Al-Osaimi, the general supervisor of the social development unit at the ministry.

The program, which launched on Feb. 1, was established by the Saudi government to provide financial assistance to families with low or medium income, and ease the impact of austerity measures.

Beneficiaries have been divided among three brackets, the low income, the middle income and the upper-middle income.