Photo: Kindel Media / Pexels
Kazakhstan will continue to provide targeted social assistance from 1 January 2027, but the rules for awarding it will change (inbusiness.kz). Individuals and families whose income per person falls below the established poverty line will qualify. The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection says a family’s actual financial circumstances will be taken into account when awarding certain payments (t.me/enbekgovkz). The rules set out how to apply for assistance and the conditions for receiving payments.
Who will qualify for targeted social assistance from 2027
The poverty line varies by region (kz.kursiv.media). A family’s income per person is compared with that threshold to determine eligibility for targeted social assistance.
Assistance will still come in two forms: unconditional and conditional. Conditional assistance is paid monthly, provided recipients meet employment and social integration requirements.
Who will receive assistance without employment requirements
Unconditional assistance will be available to people on low incomes who cannot work because of their health or other circumstances beyond their control. It will also be available to families with no adults able to work.
Families whose only adult able to work is caring for a child or a relative who needs help may also qualify for this payment.
What recipients who can work will be required to do
When conditional assistance is awarded, unemployed family members who are able to work will be registered as jobseekers. An individual plan will be drawn up for them, and they will sign a social contract. Support measures will be agreed with the employment commission.
Monthly payments will depend on meeting the contract’s employment and social integration requirements.
How to apply and what will be checked
Applications can be submitted through the designated authority, the portal or a mobile phone. Applicants and their family members will need to consent to the collection and processing of their personal information.
This consent covers confidential banking information and information from a credit bureau. A separate article explains the procedure for sharing information on families’ bank accounts.
The rules also allow targeted social assistance to be awarded proactively. For this, the family must agree to have its financial circumstances assessed by a local commission.
How long applicants will have to correct errors
If errors or missing information are found in the documents, the application will be placed on a digital waiting list. Applicants will have five working days to make corrections.
The career centre must determine the type of assistance, calculate the family’s income and prepare an electronic draft decision within three working days. One important detail: this deadline applies to preparing the draft decision.
When conditional assistance may stop
Payments may be stopped if recipients fail to meet the terms of their social contract or provide false information. Other grounds include the applicant’s death or a permanent move to another region or outside Kazakhstan.
Put simply
Targeted social assistance will remain in place from 1 January 2027. Eligibility will depend on family income and, for recipients of conditional payments, on meeting the terms of their social contract.
If you plan to apply for targeted social assistance, check your family’s information in advance. We explain what information the Digital Family Card collects in a separate article. If errors or missing information are found when you apply, you will have five working days to make corrections.