WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao spent approximately XCG 15.6 million more than projected on income support and emergency assistance during the first half of 2026 as the government provided additional financial support to residents affected by higher living costs.
The increase is disclosed in the government’s June Financial Management Report.
Overall spending in the social-security category reached XCG 281 million through June, compared with a forecast of XCG 256.8 million, producing a difference of XCG 24.2 million.
A significant part of the underlying movement came from Onderstand and Noodvoorzieningen, the government programs covering income support and emergency assistance.
Spending on those programs was approximately XCG 15.6 million above forecast.
According to the government, the higher expenditure was mainly caused by additional contributions to people receiving financial assistance to compensate for increases in the cost of living resulting from recent international geopolitical developments and related price increases.
The overall XCG 24.2 million difference in social-security spending does not represent an equivalent structural increase.
The Basic Health Insurance contribution was XCG 24.3 million above the forecast because the government contribution intended for July was already paid and recorded in June. The Ministry of Finance describes that primarily as a timing difference that does not, by itself, increase projected annual BVZ expenditure.
Meanwhile, spending on the APC cost-of-living allowance was XCG 18.1 million below forecast because invoices processed by the end of June covered only the period through May.
The government says it will continue monitoring the different social-security expenditures during the remainder of 2026 to distinguish structural increases from one-time expenses and timing differences.