Funding for financial assistance has increased by more than $5 million under the 2016/17 Budget, but many charities and community institutions have had grants from the Bermuda Government cut significantly.

Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, the Minister for Community, Culture and Sport, told the House of Assembly that $54,561,000 had been budgeted for financial assistance; an 11 per cent increase on the original 2015/16 Budget.

But she warned that rising numbers claiming financial assistance was “unsustainable” as she provided a breakdown of how money would be spent in her ministry during the last series of Budget debates on Monday.

She also revealed that the Government had received 90 calls in 2015/16 of people abusing the financial assistance programme; of which 82 per cent were substantiated.

“Seventy-four were confirmed fraud, 35 to 40 were attempted fraud, 18 per cent were unsubstantiated and seven are under investigation,” the minister said. “Sixty-one clients were required to repay the department, who received funds totalling $98,000 in 2015/16.”

Ms Gordon-Pamplin outlined a series of cuts to Government grants that will affect the Matilda Smith Seniors Home, Support Therapy for Aids Persons and Their Relatives, and the Salvation Army.

Summerhaven will have $125,000 cut from its government funding, while Packwood Rest Home’s grant will be reduced by $75,000.

Michael Weeks, the Shadow Minister of Community Affairs, condemned the Government for making consistent cuts to a ministry he described as the “glue and mortar that takes care of our community”.

“Community and culture is the ministry that binds our country together,” he said. “If we really want to fix what is happening in our community we need to recognise the role that this ministry can play.”

Mr Weeks criticised budget reductions made within the Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation and hit out at the “defunding” of the Women’s Resource Centre and the Centre Against Abuse.

He also queried whether the loss of five positions in community centres across the island was a sign of pending closures.

He said: “We need to make certain that our community centres remain open and remain viable.”

Ms Gordon-Pamplin told the House that the Government had no plans to close any community centres and the loss of the five jobs was down to “attrition”.

She lamented not having more money to spend on community groups and initiatives, but said: “The public purse was literally decimated by the previous PLP administration.

“You left the kitty empty.”