From June 1, 2026, Local Public Assistance Boards and the National Social Development Programme (NSDP) will commence the use of revised Standard Means Test (SMT) forms in the assessment of applications for social service assistance and related services. The introduction of the revised forms marks a significant step by the Government towards modernising, strengthening and humanising the delivery of social services across Trinidad and Tobago.
Minister of the People, Social Development and Family Services, the Honourable Vandana Mohit, led the official distribution of the revised forms and manuals on Thursday, May 21, 2026, to representatives of the various Local Public Assistance Boards and key service delivery divisions of the Ministry.
Minister Mohit noted that the economic and social realities facing citizens have changed considerably over the past decade, including increases in the cost of living and household expenses. She explained that despite these changes, the poverty indicator previously guiding the SMT was based on outdated data.
“The Government recognised that if we are serious about protecting vulnerable citizens, then our systems must evolve alongside the realities confronting those citizens,”Minister Mohit stated.
The revised SMT materials are intended to improve consistency, accountability and clarity in the application and eligibility assessment process. The updated framework also seeks to ensure a fairer and more accurate assessment of household vulnerability and need.
Minister Mohit reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to ensuring that vulnerable families are not unfairly excluded from assistance due to outdated thresholds or unrealistic assumptions that no longer reflect present-day realities.
The Standard Means Test was originally introduced in 2018 as part of the Ministry’s efforts to strengthen the national social protection framework and improve the targeting of social assistance programmes.
The revised forms and procedures are the result of recommendations made by a Cabinet-appointed Inter-Ministerial Committee, which was tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the SMT. The Committee’s work focused on strengthening fairness, reducing exclusion errors and enhancing the responsiveness of the system to the current socio-economic environment.
The Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services remains committed to improving the delivery of social services and ensuring that support reaches those most in need in an efficient, transparent and compassionate manner.