Financial aid to be ‘adjusted’ to cope with demandBy Owain Johnston-BarnesThe number of Bermudians on financial assistance has increased by around 400 in just over a year.Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs Wayne Scott revealed yesterday that around 1,750 clients are on financial assistance, the highest number in the programme’s history.Government reported that 1,363 people were on financial assistance in December of 2011.“Historically, the combined number of applicants who are seniors and persons with disabilities have accounted for at least two-thirds of all financial applications,” Mr Scott said.“However able-bodied unemployed persons and persons with low earnings now account for approximately 50 percent of all applicants.”The Department of Financial Assistance had its budget cut by just under one percent in the 2013/14 Budget, unveiled on Friday.In order to accommodate the growing need for financial assistance on a tighter budget, Mr Scott said the Ministry will make changes to the eligibility requirements to ensure that those who most need the help get it.He said that means the amount of money given to individual persons on financial aid will be “rightly adjusted” in order to help the growing number of people who need it.“A perfect example is that the rental values in the market have gone down marginally in the last couple of years, but there have been no adjustments made to the mandated amount,” Mr Scott said.“As we adjust those based on current market value, that’s an example of some of the savings we can achieve, thus being able to help more people.”The Minister also stressed that the Ministry will fight against discrimination in any form, saying: “We will strengthen Bermuda’s commitment to human rights for all, prohibiting discrimination in employment, goods and services and housing and where possible, we will continue to support programmes to protect the most vulnerable in the community.”Mr Scott noted that the Ministry as a whole has seen its budget increase by 1.3 percent, largely due to an increase in the budget for the Bermuda Housing Corporation.“This increase included the funding required to continue the Hustle Truck initiative and to meet the interest payments for the Grand Atlantic Housing Development,” he said.The largest cut in the Ministry’s finance came to the Ministry headquarters, which saw it’s budget cut by 4.1 percent.The Department of Youth, Sports and Recreation, the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, the Department of Human Affairs and the Department of the Rent Commission all had their budgets slashed by 3.2 percent.And the Department of Child and Family Services budget was reduced by 2.8 percent.“We at the Ministry of Community and Cultural Development are doing our part within the framework of the sober reality of the current state of affairs of our Island’s finances,” Mr Scott said.