Government to Maintain Number of Beneficiary Families in 2020

The government has decided to amend the resolution No. 50-N of January 24, 2019, concerning the amounts of family benefits, social assistance, and urgent aid. The proposal aims to provide a current interim solution within the framework of social assistance sector reforms, ensuring a smooth transition to comprehensive systemic changes that have already begun.

Considering the still high levels of poverty and the negative dynamics of income distribution inequality, as well as the impact of the existing programs on poverty (with the poverty rate being 2.6 percentage points higher, and extreme poverty rising from 1% to 3.6% without family and social benefits), it is proposed to maintain the number of beneficiary families and benefit amounts outlined in the State Budget of the Republic of Armenia for 2020, including allowances for children, unchanged.

To achieve this goal, it is suggested to set the threshold for family and social benefits for 2020 at 28.00. According to the analyses, 11,354 families will retain their entitlement to benefits, and 962 new families are expected to become beneficiaries. With the proposed changes and other modifications implemented in 2019—particularly ensuring that families engaged in seasonal work do not lose their benefits and exploring opportunities for “Benefit+” programs—it is anticipated that the number of families participating in the program will reach approximately 98,763 over the year.