Citizen Account: Your complete guide to retroactive compensation cases

The mechanism for retroactive compensation in the Citizen's Account

The Citizen Account Program, one of the most prominent government support programs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has announced the specific cases in which beneficiaries are eligible for retroactive financial compensation. This clarification comes as part of the program's efforts to enhance transparency, ensure that support reaches those who are entitled to it fully and fairly, and address any issues that may arise during the monthly disbursement process.

General context of the Citizen Account program

The Citizen Account Program was launched in December 2017 as a key pillar of the comprehensive economic reform plans of Saudi Vision 2030. The program primarily aims to protect low- and middle-income Saudi families from the potential impacts of economic reforms, such as adjustments to energy and water prices and the implementation of value-added tax (VAT). The program redirects government support to be provided directly to eligible citizens through a unified platform, replacing the previous system of providing blanket support to all citizens regardless of income level.

What are the cases of retroactive compensation in the Citizen's Account?

The program, through its official channels, identified two main cases in which support can be disbursed retroactively, and these are directly related to the process of submitting and reviewing objections:

• Accepted financial objections: If a beneficiary submits a financial objection regarding the amount of the payment received, believing it to be less than the amount due, and the relevant departments within the program review and approve the objection, the beneficiary will be retroactively compensated for the difference. This compensation includes previous payments affected by the error, up to a maximum of five months prior.
• Accepted eligibility appeals: This differs from the previous scenario. If an applicant's eligibility is rejected, and they submit an appeal against the ineligibility decision and it is accepted, they become eligible for the next payment cycle. However, compensation for previous payments (retroactive effect) is not automatic. Each case is reviewed individually according to the program's regulations and terms to ensure the applicant met all eligibility criteria during the period in which they did not receive support.

The importance and impact of the objection mechanism

The mechanism for submitting appeals and receiving retroactive compensation is an integral part of the social protection system provided by the program. At the local level, this mechanism enhances citizens' trust in government procedures and reinforces the principles of justice and fairness. It also ensures that no beneficiary loses their rights due to technical or administrative errors, thus contributing to the financial stability of targeted families.

Regionally and internationally, the Citizen Account Program offers an advanced model for managing direct government support programs, combining efficiency in targeting with fairness in distribution. The existence of clear review and compensation mechanisms reflects the maturity of the Saudi experience in this field, making it a benchmark for countries seeking to implement similar economic reforms while maintaining a strong social safety net for their citizens.

How to inquire about payment details

To make things easier for beneficiaries, the program allows access to all details of financial payments through simple steps via the application or website, where the user can find out the status of the last payment, the total amounts paid, the outstanding amounts, and other important information that ensures he can follow his entitlements with complete transparency.