If you are currently living and working in the UAE with a monthly salary of between AED 2,000 and AED 4,000, you know that monthly expenses quickly outpace your salary. Rent increases. Your salary gets delayed. A family emergency happens back home and the funds are needed urgently that same day. You find yourself with your Emirates ID in hand and wondering if anyone has a program or provides assistance for a situation like yours.
Longer answer, and this is what the Dacmaf guide is about: The assistance is legitimate, it is help that you won’t need to pay for, and it is free of charge. You will need to fill out some forms and do some waiting, and there are some restrictions and limitations that you will find are not clearly explained in the Facebook groups.
Before we continue, let’s clear up a common misconception,
Free Dirhams – What It Means in This Context
No one in the UAE is providing assistance where you fill-in-a-form and just receive money in your account for no reason. If you see someone on TikTok or WhatsApp providing assistance and asking for a payment to be made to you, be warned. Their intention is to sell a service to you, where you pay and they provide your own money back to you.
This is what really exists:
- Zakat and sadaqah grants. Money you don’t have to pay back.
- Insurance payouts.
- Payments made directly to your landlord, your child’s school, or the hospital.
- Food baskets, medicine, and repatriation tickets for people who need them.
In this context, “free dirhams” is an accurate description because there is no repayment required. It is an inaccurate description because it is not easy. You will have to fill out paperwork. A visitor may come to your house. You will have to provide documents. This is the trade, and Dacmaf would prefer to tell you this now, rather than have you disappointed later.
The One Thing Most Workers Miss: ILOE Insurance
Every low-income worker in the UAE should read this in their first week of work.
The UAE has a new mandatory unemployment insurance scheme called Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE). It applies to Emiratis and expats in the private sector and federal government.
If your basic salary is AED 16,000 or below, you pay AED 60 for the year or AED 5 for the month. If you then lose your job, you have a payout of 60% of your average basic salary for three months, with a cap of AED 10,000 per month.
For a basic salary above AED 16,000: you will pay AED 10 monthly, or AED 120 annually, and the monthly cap will increase to AED 20,000.
That’s right. Sixty dirhams for the whole year. One shawarma and a karak for an entire year.
Rules you must follow:
- A paid subscription must be held for 12 continuous months prior to claiming anything
- Job loss must be involuntary — resignation or dismissal for a disciplinary infraction does not count
- Your employer must cancel your work permit and you must cancel prior to filing
- Claim must be filed 30 days post work termination
- Payment will be released in 2 weeks after a valid claim is filed
- The cumulative total limit of the coverage for your entire career in the UAE is 12 months
You can subscribe and claim via iloe.ae, ILOE smart app, the call center 600 599555, ATMs, or exchanges. Al Ansari Exchange also provides a cash payout service for those who paid the premium in cash, meaning there is a AED 400 penalty for not enrolling, meaning the sums work in your favor either way.
Excluded from this are a few groups: business owners working in their own companies, domestic workers, temporary contract workers, anyone under 18, and retirees on a pension who have returned to work.
The scheme is real. By the end of 2025, approximately 90% of the targeted workforce was enrolled, and over AED 350 million was distributed to workers who were made unemployed. Dacmaf states this because many people think that government schemes never pay out. This scheme does.
Licensed Charities Helping Expatriates
This is where the real “free dirhams” collection is located. Every organization listed here is licensed, helps both residents and Emiratis, and does not charge you to apply. Dacmaf has double-checked them on the official lists and has not simply forwarded texts.
UAE Zakat Fund — Offers monthly financial assistance, debt settlement, educational expenses, and medical support. All applications must be made through the official site. In case of a negative decision, or if the offered amount is inadequate, you can file a petition to re-evaluate your situation. This is unknown to a large number of people.
Dar Al Ber Society — One of the most expatriate-focused charities. They pay for rent, school and university fees, electricity bills, medical treatment, and exit flight tickets for people leaving the country. All applications go through daralber.ae/helprequest. They helped approximately 3,500 low-income families across all emirates, along with hundreds of students and patients, and in just nine months distributed AED 26 million.
Beit Al Khair Society — Has helped all residents since 1989. Expatriates must submit an Emirates ID, passport copy, and residence visa. Applications are reviewed and may be subject to a home visit. Approved cases are reviewed bi-annually.
Emirates Red Crescent — Education support, house rent, and repatriation tickets. Note: applications must be submitted to the emirate where the applicant resides.
Additional organizations — Sharjah Charity International, Al Ihsan Charity Association, plus to non-Muslim residents, a few churches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi have aid funds to assist their residents.
Remember to check the contact numbers and office hours of every organization on their website before you visit them.
Get Your Documents Ready Before You Apply
This will help you avoid the tragedy of an incomplete application. Charities won’t notify you about incomplete applications. Dacmaf has unfortunately seen people waiting up to three months for a response that would never come.
Get ready with the following documents:
- Emirates ID, front and back
- Passport and residence visa page
- Labour contract, or termination letter if you have been let go
- Bank statements for the last 3-6 months
- Tenancy contract (Ejari) or the eviction notice you received
- Actual hospital bill, school fee invoice, or utility bill
- Salary certificate or proof that you have not received your salary
- Court papers and debt documents
One useful tip to increase your chance of success: have the school, hospital or landlord write the invoice in a way that the charity can pay directly. Most of these charities would rather pay the institutions directly than giving cash to a person. Bring a direct payable invoice and you have eliminated their main concern.
Legal Part-Time Work: The Permit Nobody Explains
The UAE has allowed part-time work in addition to full-time work since 2010, and the works were legally expanded in 2018. This is one of the most unutilized options for low-income workers, mostly due to the misconception that it is illegal. It is not.
The total cost of the MOHRE part-time work permit is AED 600 — AED 100 application fee and AED 500 approval fee. This permit is for one year and has to be renewed every year.
How it works:
- You need a No Objection Certificate from your first employer
- Your second employer applies on your behalf using the MOHRE portal or a Tasheel centre — you are not able to apply
- Part-time work remains under eight hours a day for the second employer
- Men and Women aged 18 to 65 are able to apply
- If you are a holder of a family visa you are also able to apply with an NOC from your sponsor
- Students and dependants are able to apply via a different method
If you have a job, take it seriously. Companies risk a AED 50,000 fine for employing someone without this permit, so legitimate companies avoid hiring without a permit. Working on a visit or tourist visa can invite fines, bans, or deportation, since it is also illegal.
Another option is a temporary work permit for AED 700 to 1,000 in 2026, for work that is project related or seasonal.
A note on freelance permits, though actually quite useful Dacmaf does not think they are a solution for someone in urgent financial need. Free zone freelance permits begin at AED 5,750 a year and easily exceed AED 12,000 when you factor in a residence visa, medical, Emirates ID, insurance and the visa itself. If you hold residency through employment or family sponsorship your out of pocket cost is only the permit itself. For this route to be viable, it cannot be your primary residence, and therefore is a more long-term financial investment.
Where Dacmaf Has Found Real Part-Time Jobs
- Work Events and Exhibitions – Numerous set-up, ushering, registration, and hospitality jobs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi occur during their busy season from October to April.
- Retail and F&B Weekend Shifts – Malls in Dubai staff heavily on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Hotel Catering and Banquet Shift – Casual work opportunities are created during the wedding and conference season.
- Warehouse and Logistics – Casual work opportunities occur from the shopping festival and the religious holidays of Eid and Ramadan.
- Tutoring – Parents are willing to pay for tutoring in math, science, and language due to the demand.
- Delivery and Driving Jobs – There are many apps in the market, however, permits are required.
Before you take on additional work, check if your current employer will allow you to work overtime. Getting paid overtime in the UAE can be more profitable than taking on another job.
Scams
On July 18, 2026, Dubai’s Police’s Anti-Fraud Center issued another alert on the ever-growing fraudulent advertisements that promise job offers or pay-to-sell residency or visit visas. These circulate through social media or direct messaging. Most of them employ the names of reckless companies or impersonate official authorities.
Ras Al Khaimah Police have issued a warning against a scam in which participants receive funds and transfer them to other accounts for a commission. This is money laundering, and participants are committing a crime. No matter how much they disguise the offer, do not accept it.
MOHRE and TDRA have closed some licensed recruiting accounts. Unfortunately, recruiting accounts pop up quicker than they can be closed. Your judgment is the best defense against scams.
Here are some of the red flags Dacmaf would like to share:
- Asking for any payment in exchange for a job, visa, or to “process” something
- Offering a job without an interview
- Offering a salary that is well above the normal salary for that job
- Creating a sense of urgency or offering the job on the spot
- Offering the job with no website, trade license, or no landline phone
- Contact only on WhatsApp
- Requesting a “file opening fee”; no registered charity in the UAE asks this
According to UAE regulations, the employer is responsible for the work permit costs. Thus, the employer cannot legally withhold the payment. If the employer is asking you to pay, then it is a scam.
To report a scam, go to the Dubai Police eCrime, the Dubai Police app, or the nearest police station. You can send your complaints about labor issues to MOHRE at ask@mohre.gov.ae.
The Dacmaf 30-Day Action Plan
- 1. Go to iloe.ae and check your status. If you are not enrolled, complete it before the end of this week.
- 2. Organize all of the required documents in a folder.
- 3. Submit applications to multiple charities. Do not submit applications one at a time.
- 4. Discuss overtime or an advance with your employer before exploring other options.
- 5. If you’re seeking part-time employment, locate the employer first, then allow them to manage the permit.
- 6. Don’t pay anyone to any extent for this.
Most Frequently Asked Questions of Dacmaf
Can expatriates really get financial assistance in the UAE? Or is it exclusive to the Emirates citizens?
Expatriates qualify. Dar Al Ber, Beit Al Khair, and Emirates Red Crescent assist residents. The distinction is in the government’s social welfare programs offered by the Ministry of Community Development and the respective emirate which are primarily for Emirati families.
How long does the application take?
It takes a few days in case of a real emergency or several weeks in case of a routine request. Notices of eviction and medical emergencies are given priority, hence you should submit the notice instead of providing a verbal description.
I quit my job. Am I entitled to ILOE?
No. This program is only for involuntary employment. Quitting and being fired for a disciplinary reason both render you ineligible.
As a visa holder of my husband or father, can I work part-time?
Yes, if you obtain an NOC from your sponsor and have a part-time work permit. The company manages the application.
Is Dacmaf arranging this aid and does it charge for this?
No. Dacmaf only provides information. All the routes described here are applied for via the government or charity portal, and all are free of charge.
The Bottom Line
The UAE has genuine safety nets for both citizens and residents. Zakat funds, licensed charities, and a state insurance scheme that costs Dh5 a month are real, documented and are dispersing funds every month.
The primary barriers are knowledge and resilience. Most people don’t know these routes exist, and they lose hope after one unsuccessful application. The key is to apply correctly to multiple opportunities and keep your documents in order and appeal twice if rejected.
Dacmaf will continue to update this document as fees and rules change. Please document this and share it with your relevant neighbors first.
This Dacmaf document is for informational purposes only. It is not advice on law, finance or any other related field. When applying, verify on official websites of governments and charities that fees, eligibility and contact details are current. Things change.
