Answers to the most common questions about the LEAP programme, eligibility, payments, and more.
LEAP (Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty) is a Cash Transfer Programme (CTP) designed in 2007 and implemented from 2008. It is Ghana's flagship social protection programme under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
LEAP provides bi-monthly cash grants to extremely poor and vulnerable households, along with free National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) coverage. Its broad objective is to reduce poverty through consumption smoothing and human capital development.
LEAP was designed in 2007 and made its first cash disbursement in March 2008, initially covering 1,654 households across 21 pilot districts. It has since expanded to cover all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana.
LEAP currently covers over 1.4 million individuals out of approximately 2.4 million people living in extreme poverty in Ghana (representing about 8.2% of the population). 56% of beneficiaries are female and 44% are male.
LEAP is managed by the LEAP Management Secretariat (LMS), established as a separate entity by Cabinet approval in 2015. The LMS operates under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and is structured into six units: Operations, MIS, Case Management, Monitoring & Evaluation, Finance, and Payments.
LEAP targets extremely poor households that fall into one or more of these categories:
Selection uses a combination of:
Evidence shows the opposite. LEAP evaluations found that:
The co-responsibility conditions also actively encourage households to invest in health and education — building capacity for long-term self-reliance.
Following the 2026 nationwide reassessment, LEAP uses a revised six-tier payment structure based on household size and vulnerability status. Bi-monthly amounts per cycle are:
| Household Category | Bi-Monthly Amount |
|---|---|
| 1–2 Members With Vulnerability | GH₵392.00 |
| 1–2 Members Without Vulnerability | GH₵380.00 |
| 3–4 Members With Vulnerability | GH₵474.00 |
| 3–4 Members Without Vulnerability | GH₵452.00 |
| 5+ Members With Vulnerability | GH₵630.00 |
| 5+ Members Without Vulnerability | GH₵594.00 |
Amounts are bi-monthly (6 times per year) and are for the household as a whole. Since Cycles 1 & 2 (post-reassessment) are paid together, eligible households will receive twice their applicable amount in this payment, commencing 14th September 2026.
Payments are made via the e-zwich platform using biometric fingerprint verification through GhIPSS (Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems) and PayCode platforms. This ensures secure, direct payments to beneficiaries. Electronic payments began in Q3 2013 through AYA Technologies and MTN Mobile Money.
LEAP grants are disbursed every two months (bi-monthly). Beneficiaries receive regular payments as long as they remain eligible and fulfil their co-responsibilities.
Grievances follow a tiered process:
You can also call the toll-free helplines: 0800 800 800 or 0800 900 900
A Community Focal Person (CFP) is a designated community representative who serves as the link between LEAP beneficiaries and the district-level structures. CFPs help with identification of eligible households, monitoring of co-responsibilities, and resolution of community-level grievances.
LEAP operates two toll-free helplines available to all beneficiaries:
You can also reach the head office at: +233 303 969 399 / 303 969 700 or email info@leap.gov.gh
In exchange for LEAP grants, beneficiary households must:
Failure to meet co-responsibilities can result in suspension or termination of LEAP grants. Case Management Officers conduct regular household visits to monitor compliance. If difficulties arise, beneficiaries are encouraged to engage their Community Focal Person for support rather than risk losing their benefits.
Yes. Benefits can be suspended or terminated if a household:
Our team is available to help. Call our toll-free hotline or send us a message through the contact form.