United Arab Emirates

Dubai | September 2014

AED 82.08; AED 11.08 (USD 3.02, EUR 2.30) for food.

This is based on per capita per-day basis of Dubai’s social benefits qualifying criteria (proxy to poverty line), average local household size, and average local household food, beverage and tobacco expenditure.

Dubai and UAE do not have an official poverty lines, thus a proxy was used for this project – the Dubai Government Community Development Agency’s social benefits qualifying criteria. This social benefit is supplementary to the overall UAE Ministry of Social Affairs’ financial aid. It was approved under the Dubai Financial Benefits Law, which was passed in October 2012.

Dubai’s social benefits system is based on household size – for an individual, the qualifying criteria is monthly income of AED 10,700, while for a household of 8 members, the qualifying criteria is monthly income of AED 19,700. The average Emiriti household size in 2009 was 7.68.

The general social benefit policies try to discourage dependence on welfare, and poor families will have case managers who study their needs and design appropriate financial plans. The government has relatively generous welfare for all citizens (including free or subsidized housing), and social assistance for lower income, disadvantaged (includes widows, disabled and elderly).

Note: Latest available standards and exchange rates were taken as of September 2014, when the photography was undertaken.

Understanding More

 Thousands of Emiratis in need to receive aid from Dubai

Government of Dubai Periodic Benefits

Poverty in the United Arab Emirates