By Azernews

By Abdul Kerimkhanov

Azerbaijan has reduced the age for receiving social security benefits.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population told local media that "women aged 61.5 years, as well as men aged 64.5 years will be able to apply for social security from the state," as of January 1, 2020.

Earlier, the age for receiving old-age benefits was 62 and 67 for women and men respectively.

On December 16, 2019, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev approved a number of laws, in particular, the bills "On the state budget of Azerbaijan for 2019", "On the budget of the relevant executive authority implementing social security and protection for 2019", "On the state budget of the Unemployment Insurance Fund for 2019", "On living wage in Azerbaijan for 2019", "On the need criteria in Azerbaijan for 2019" that will be introduced for discussion.

Since 2019, Azerbaijan's Ministry of Labor has automated the electronic issuance of social benefits by age. Software has been developed that independently determines the list of persons with the right to receive benefits.

The system itself sends SMS to the citizen’s mobile number with the data of the service bank and the amount of the monthly allowance provided. The citizen only should come within the specified time with an identification card to the specified bank for their card.

In addition, since 2020, women with five or more children were entitled allowances at the age of 56.

The situation is the same with single fathers with five or more children under their care.

Starting from April 1, 2019, Azerbaijan’s monthly age-related allowances increased by 80 percent, reaching 130 manats ($76.5).

The increase is envisaged by the order of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev “On additional measures in the field of enhancing social protection of the population” signed on February 25, 2019.

In total, this allowance is provided to 46,000 people.