The International Monetary Fund is urging the government to reform Antigua and Barbuda’s social assistance framework, warning that fragmentation across multiple agencies is weakening targeting, efficiency and service delivery.

In its concluding statement following the Article IV consultation mission, IMF staff said social assistance programs are currently administered across five different ministries, resulting in duplication, administrative inefficiencies and gaps in coverage.

The Fund said a key priority should be the creation of a centralized beneficiary database, which would allow authorities to better identify eligible recipients, reduce overlap among programs and improve coordination across government agencies.

IMF staff noted that without stronger coordination, limited public resources risk being spread too thinly, reducing the effectiveness of social support at a time when vulnerable households remain exposed to economic shocks and rising living costs.

The IMF said reforming the social assistance system would help improve targeting and efficiency, ensure benefits reach those most in need and strengthen accountability in the use of public funds.

Addressing institutional barriers to reform, including the need for greater cooperation among ministries and agencies, is essential to modernizing the system, the Fund said, adding that more effective social protection would also support broader fiscal sustainability and resilience objectives.