ArmInfo.On January 17, the Government of Armenia approved a draft decision that will ensure the right of socially disadvantaged families to receive benefits even after increasing the minimum pension.
At the end of December, the government amended the Law on State Pensions, following the results of which, from January 1, 2019, the minimum pension will rise immediately by 60% from 16,000 to 25,500 drams. As the Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Arsen Manukyan explained at the meeting of the government, this change may adversely affect the social situation of many families. The fact is that families that were previously considered disadvantaged and received a monthly allowance of 18 thousand drams, after January 1, cease to be considered as such. As a result, they are denied the right to receive this benefit. "These changes will allow these families (804 families) to avoid the negative consequences of this decision," Manukyan said.
To note, as of November 2017, according to the data of the Social Security Service of the Ministry of Social Affairs of Armenia, 524 thousand 485 pensioners are registered in the Republic of Armenia, of which 460 thousand receive a retirement pension (basic pension is 16 thousand drams, plus premium for the length of service - 800 drams per the first 10 years and 500 each in the following years) and 64 thousand - an old-age insurance pension of 16 thousand drams.