The Social Welfare's re-certification programme is now closed. [File Photo]

The Social Welfare’s re-certification programme is now closed.

Director Social Welfare Rupeni Fatiaki says recipients who fail to collect their forms and fill it will now have their allowance suspended.

Fatiaki says the re-certification exercise was to ensure that the social protection net truly captures those who deserve to be helped.

“Come first of August, those who are not re-certified will have their allowances suspended until they fill their forms and bring it back to us. Those who have filled their forms need not worry because they will continue to be paid, it’s only for those who are not re-certified.”

Fatiaki says those that fail to re-certify have until October to comply or their accounts will be permanently terminated.

77,000 recipients under the Social Pension Scheme, Poverty Benefit Scheme and the Care and Protection Allowances were earmarked to be re-certified.