From crisis to support: Lebanon launches cash aid for 250,000 war-hit families

Report by Joe Farchakh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

More than 250,000 Lebanese in areas directly affected by the recent war have begun receiving cash assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs for six months.

The ministry started distributing the aid on July 1 to more than 67,000 families out of the 120,000 who registered in the ministry’s program to support internally displaced persons (IDPs).

The aid is distributed as follows: $20 per person per month, plus $25 per family. For example, a family of six would receive $145 per month. This amount is the maximum a family can receive, even if it includes more than six members.

To benefit from the aid, applicants must first register for the ministry’s IDP support program, which opened for registration in November 2024. 

Second, they must meet the displacement requirement, as poverty is not a criterion in this program. Eligible families are those who left their residences during the war and lived elsewhere. 

Third, ministry representatives will visit applicants to verify the information provided on their forms and confirm eligibility for the cash assistance.

The IDP support program runs from July 1 until the end of 2025. The question remains: what will happen to these families after the six-month period?

Although registration has closed, the ministry remains open to those who were unable to register, and exceptions may be made after reviewing individual cases.

Despite limited resources, the program shows that the state is making an effort to support its citizens. Even limited cash assistance provides hope that such initiatives could evolve from temporary relief into a foundation for real social security.