The Ministry of Social Affairs’ welfare administration plans to determine which citizens need social benefits by checking their financial status with the Saudi Credit Bureau (SIMAH).

SIMAH is the sole licensed national credit bureau offering consumer and commercial credit information services.

A source said the agreement recently signed by the ministry’s Social Security Administration and SIMAH would help determine who deserves benefits. The process is aimed at promoting transparency in the system.

The source stressed that SIMAH would not determine who gets benefits, it would only present credit information to the Social Affairs Ministry.

The source also said the ministry gets its information on beneficiaries from many government agencies including the Civil Service, the General Organization for Social Insurance, the Public Pension Agency and Alam Company.