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Nationwide Household Spending Survey 2019 Launched

Image:  H.E. Hessa Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development the minister

Image:  H.E. Hessa Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development the minister

In partnership with the Ministry of Community Development and National Statistical Centers

The Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA) has launched a nationwide household income and spending survey to measure expenditure and well-being levels among families in cooperation with the Ministry of Community Development (MOCD) and National Statistical Centers. The survey, set to involve more than 20,000 households in the UAE, will be the largest such a statistical project to date in the country.

It will begin in January 2019 and will take a year to complete with support of 350 field researchers. The survey will help extract more than 65 indicators, including the basket of goods and services, consumer price indices, cost of living index, and price indices to help assess the level, direction and structure of the economic well-being of families.

A team of expert staticians from FCSA and the national statistical centers identified and designed the size of the sample as per the adopted scientific methodologies in a manner that guarantees the accuracy of this survey. The families (sample) participating in this survey will be from all over the UAE while considering the proportional distribution method for the number of Emirati and non-Emirati families in each emirate with sights set to achieve the highest levels of accuracy required.

According to H.E. Hessa Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development the minister stated: "This survey provides data and statistics and will provide an accurate reflection of income and expenditure levels at a household level in the country. The survey will provide updated and correct data to help decision makers design, launch and implement a number of social and economic initiatives aimed at improving all aspects of life for individuals and families, including housing, education and health."

 

Pillars

She added: "The survey supports many of the axes adopted by the national policy of the family launched by the ministry, which will be supportive of the ministry and its plans in this regard," pointing out that there is cooperation between the work teams of the ministry with the survey, to exchange information and develop it to serve the direction of the State in relation to improve the family and enhance its welfare, stressing that the Social Security Act, which is currently being prepared by the Ministry, was concerned with its provisions on empowerment and family development.

 

The Minister said: "The UAE society is the focus of attention. Therefore, cooperation with the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority and all national statistical centers came in the framework of the Household Income and Expenditure Survey".

"The survey supports many of the pillars of the Family National Policy launched by MOCD and the survey will be of a great support for the ministry and its plans in this regard," she said.

She pointed out that MOCD teams will cooperate with survey teams to share and develop information to serve the best interest and the direction adopted by UAE to further improve and enhance the family status and their well-being.

"The Social Security Law which is being drafted by the MOCD currently focuses on the empowerment and development of the family," she stressed.

She affirmed: "The happiness of the UAE society is the focus of attention of the government. Based on this fact, MOCD cooperates with FCSA and all national statistical centers to conduct the Household Income and Expenditure Survey."

 

Plans

For his part, Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director-General of FCSA, said: "The survey will help decision-makers develop efficient strategic plans and launch initiatives conducive to ensuring family welfare across the nation in terms of health, education, and employment. The move will ultimately contribute to the UAE Vision 2021."

 

Arif Al Muhairi, Executive Director of Dubai Statistics Center (DSC), pointed out that the national statistical project is the second at the federal level and third in Dubai. "This survey would have profound implications on the processes of social and economic planning. Its results are based on numerous indicators as it is dedicated to monitor changes in consumption patterns and changes in income of all society segments."

 

He put an accent on the fact that the survey will provide information that cannot be made available expect and only through such a nationwide survey and cannot be provided through the normal administrative databases, in accordance with statistical standards that are meant to ensure access to detailed, comprehensive, accurate and high-quality data.

 

Rashed Lahej Al Mansoori, Chairman of Statistics Centre-Abu Dhabi (SCAD) indicated that the Household Income and Expenditure Survey is one of the most important and major processes to be carried out by the statistical authorities after the population census. "It is an important source of data needed to update the consumer price index, so that the inflation rates calculated based on the survey data are more cohesive with the actual patterns of families' spending," he said.

 

Al Mansoori added: "The survey data will play a key role in identifying the demand elasticity, developing the national accounts, identifying the needs and formulating wage policies. The survey is also a step towards firming up the partnership between the national statistical centers by standardizing technical and administrative methodologies and techniques and sharing experiences and knowledge."

 

Measurement

Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Director of Sharjah Department of Statistics and Community Development (DSCD) has highlighted the Survey's importance as an indicator of the social well-being of society and people's living conditions

Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi added that the survey results will help developing policies and efficient and sustainable development and economic plans, besides it will provide accurate and realistic data that will have a positive impact on the development indicators."

Meanwhile, Dr Hajar Saeed Al Hubaishi, Executive Director of Ajman Statistics and Competitiveness Centre, expressed her pleasure and pride for participating in conducting such a nationwide project. "This national project aims to provide a holistic and integrated statistical database which definitely will contribute to the provision of statistical and economic indicators for decision makers. It will also enhance the achievement of national agenda meant to measure the level of well-being and quality of life and to realize the vision of the Government of Ajman 2021."

 

Reality

To that end, Humaid Rashid Al Shamsi, Secretary General of the Executive Council Umm Al Quwain stressed: "The survey will contribute to providing an economic and social database that reflects the reality of consumption spending and income among families and individuals."

He hailed the role played by MOCD, FCSA and the national statistical centers in conducting such a significant nationwide survey.

Dr. Ibrahim Saad, Director of Fujairah Statistics Center, said: "The Household Income and Expenditure Survey contributes to building a remarkable statistical database that helps in developing economic policies and future plans to raise the society's standards of living and well-being."

 

Data

Dr Ibrahim Akum, Director of Center for Statistics and Studies in Ras Al Khaimah, stated that The Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2019 will provide extremely important data for taking the appropriate development decision. "These surveys reflect the reality of the families' actual conditions and help specialists to examine the demographic, economic and social features of families and the overall standard of living."

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