Azerbaijan’s targeted social assistance: a complete guide

What is targeted state social assistance?

Targeted state social assistance is financial support provided from the state budget to a low-income family (Articles 1.0.6 and 5 of the Law on Targeted State Social Assistance). A low-income family is one whose average monthly income is below the combined needs criterion for each family member (Article 1.0.5). Eligibility is determined not only by low income, but also by whether income has fallen below this threshold for reasons beyond the family’s control and whether other statutory conditions are met (Article 3).

The needs criterion is approved each year together with the state budget (Article 1.0.1). The needs criterion for 2026 is 300 manats (the Law on the Threshold of the Needs Criterion for 2026 in the Republic of Azerbaijan, dated December 9, 2025, effective from January 1, 2026; it was 285 manats in 2025).

The benefit equals the difference between the family’s average monthly income and the combined needs criterion for all family members (Article 7.1 of the Law). For example, the combined threshold for a family of four in 2026 is 4 × 300 = 1,200 manats. If the family’s average monthly income is 700 manats, its monthly benefit would be 1,200 − 700 = 500 manats. Average monthly income is calculated by dividing the family’s total income over the 12 consecutive months preceding the application by 12 (Paragraph 5.23 of the Rules).

How to apply

An adult family member who is able to work represents the family. If there is no such person, a guardian, trustee, custodian or authorized representative may do so. The representation application, based on a certificate of family composition, must be certified by a notary and remains valid for applications for 90 days after certification (Paragraphs 2.1 and 2.1-1 of the Rules approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 37 of February 5, 2016).

The representative then completes the “Application-declaration” through e-social.gov.az or the “Application for targeted social assistance” service on the e-government portal and submits it to the “Targeted Assistance” (VEMTAS) subsystem of the Ministry’s Centralized Electronic Information System (Paragraphs 2.2–2.3 of the Rules). Paper applications are also accepted: the notarized “Application” and “Application-declaration” may be submitted to the city (district) branch of the State Social Protection Fund or a DOST center serving the applicant’s place of residence (Paragraph 2.4). The system checks family composition, income, property and other information against state information resources; applicants are not required to provide documents that can be obtained through the Electronic Government Information System (Paragraphs 1.4 and 3.2).

1. Have a notary certify the representation application using a certificate of family composition.
2. Sign in to e-social.gov.az using secure identification.
3. Enter accurate information about the family and its income, review the “Application-declaration” and submit it.
4. A notice with the application’s registration date and number is sent through your selected contact method within three days; the registration date is considered the application date (Paragraph 2.6).
5. On the day of application, a social assistance officer is assigned to inspect the family’s living conditions using video and photographs (Paragraphs 3.3–3.4).
6. The decision is sent through your selected contact method on the day it is made: if assistance is approved, the amount and duration are stated; if it is refused, the reasons are given (Paragraph 3.8).

For inquiries, call the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population’s Call Center at 142.

Families eligible for social assistance

Low-income families living in the Republic of Azerbaijan whose average monthly income during the 12 consecutive months before applying is below the combined needs criterion for each family member for one of the following reasons are eligible for social assistance in the amount of the difference between that criterion and their average monthly income (Paragraph 1.2 of the Rules):

• A family member has lost the ability to work.
• An able-bodied family member cares for a person recognized as having a disability due to an 81–100 percent impairment of bodily functions, a child with a disability or a child under 8 years of age.
• An able-bodied family member under 23 is enrolled in full-time education.
• An able-bodied family member receives unemployment insurance benefits under the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Unemployment Insurance.
• A family member has died.
• A family member has been declared missing or presumed dead by a court.
• A family member has been deprived of liberty.
• A family member’s whereabouts are unknown.

Article 3 of the Law also includes registration as unemployed due to the liquidation of a state body or legal entity, staff cuts, or, from 2026, the termination of an employer’s activities where the employer is an individual. This provision was introduced by amendments under Law No. 332-VIIQD of December 30, 2025.

What to check in advance

• State records of family members and residential addresses should be up to date.
• Wages, pensions, stipends, alimony and other income must be reported accurately; funds received from abroad also count as income (Paragraphs 5.2 and 5.10 of the Rules).
• Do not omit information about property or vehicles.
• If the declared per-capita income is lower than the amount calculated under the formula in Paragraph 5.22 of the Rules—which takes into account a portion of the subsistence minimum and household and mobile phone expenses—that calculated amount is used as income. This rule does not apply to families receiving a pension or benefit following the loss of a breadwinner, or families with two or more children with disabilities or a member with a 61–100 percent disability.
• Check the specific legal and factual grounds stated in any refusal decision.

This guide does not replace an individual legal determination. As exceptions apply depending on family composition and income types, assess eligibility against the current text of the law and the Rules (links below).

Deadlines

VEMTAS reviews applications for social assistance within 15 working days and issues a decision on whether to grant or refuse assistance (Paragraph 3.1 of the Rules).

Social assistance is granted for one year, starting on the first day of the month in which the application is made (Article 8.1 of the Law). The full amount is paid once a month, cashless, into a bank card account in the representative’s name (Paragraph 4.1 of the Rules). Low-income families may reapply (Article 8.2 of the Law).

If the representative dies or the family does not withdraw the benefit from its card account for two consecutive months, VEMTAS suspends payments. The family’s eligibility is then reviewed following an application by the family (Paragraph 4.5 of the Rules). In such cases, payments are suspended from the first day of the month following the month in which the change occurred (Paragraph 4.6).

If a family’s income changes after assistance is granted, it must notify VEMTAS electronically within 15 working days, except for the following information (Paragraph 4.3 of the Rules):

1. Information on increases in presidential stipends and social benefits, as well as the unified monthly benefit.
2. Information on increases in the minimum labor pension and minimum monthly wage, and the indexation of labor pensions.
3. Information on property provided to establish the selected self-employment activity.
4. Information on employment contracts.
5. Information on entrepreneurial activity, including registration as a simplified tax payer.
6. Information on vehicles owned or used by the family.

If, during a review of eligibility, it is found that a family provided false or incomplete information about circumstances that could affect the grant or amount of assistance—including family composition, property or income—or violated Article 10.2 of the Law on Targeted State Social Assistance, the family loses eligibility for one year (Article 10.4 of the Law). Any overpayment must be repaid voluntarily; if repayment is refused, the dispute is considered by a court (Article 10.6).

Reasons for refusing social assistance

Social assistance is refused if any of the following grounds apply (Paragraph 3.7 of the Rules):

• A check of the information in the “Application-declaration” identifies discrepancies.
• The family’s average monthly income during the 12 consecutive months before applying is equal to or above the combined needs criterion for all family members (300 manats per person in 2026).
• The family owns or uses a vehicle, except for vehicles provided by the state for rehabilitation purposes.
• An able-bodied, unemployed family member refuses two suitable jobs offered by a structural unit of the State Employment Agency or a DOST center. In this case, the family’s eligibility is reviewed one month after a repeat application.
• The family’s average monthly per-capita utility and communications expenses are equal to or greater than 15 percent of the approved subsistence minimum. As the subsistence minimum in Azerbaijan for 2026 is 300 manats, this threshold is 45 manats per person per month.
• The family owns two or more properties of the same type at different addresses.
• During the 12 consecutive months before applying, the family carried out purchase and sale transactions totaling more than 12 times the subsistence minimum approved for the country (more than 3,600 manats in 2026).

A refusal decision may be appealed administratively to the Ministry and/or to a court under the Law on Administrative Proceedings (Paragraph 4.10 of the Rules).

People not counted as family members when assistance is determined

The following family members are excluded from the family composition when social assistance is determined (Article 9 of the Law; Paragraph 3.6 of the Rules):

• People in full state care, including those living in children’s homes and boarding schools, social service institutions for older people and people with disabilities, and special education institutions.
• People performing compulsory active military service.
• People serving sentences in correctional facilities.
• People wanted by law enforcement.
• Citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan who do not live in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
• Foreign nationals, except those permanently residing in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Granting or refusing assistance without inspecting living conditions

If the composition and residential address of a family receiving social assistance have not changed, then, in the circumstances listed below, VEMTAS reviews the family’s repeat application during the year after the benefit period ends without assigning a social assistance officer. It then decides whether to grant or refuse assistance (Paragraph 3.4-1 of the Rules):

• A family member receives a labor pension or social benefit following the loss of a breadwinner.
• A family member has been recognized as having a disability due to an 81–100 percent impairment of bodily functions.
• Two or more family members have been recognized as having a disability due to a 61–80 percent impairment of bodily functions.
• The family has three or more children.

Refusing assistance without inspecting living conditions

If an inspection by a social assistance officer results in a refusal because of any of the circumstances below, and those circumstances remain unresolved when the family reapplies, the relevant decision refusing assistance is issued without another inspection of the family’s living conditions (Paragraph 3.7-1 of the Rules):

• The address provided by the family in the “Application-declaration” is incorrect.
• Information about the family’s property is inaccurate.

Suspension of social assistance

If the composition of a family changes, social assistance payments are suspended and the family’s eligibility is reviewed following an application by the representative, except in the following cases (Paragraph 4.8-1 of the Rules):

• A child is born into or adopted by the family.
• A family member dies, except for the representative.
• A family member is called up for compulsory active military service or discharged to the reserve after completing it.
• The period during which an able-bodied family member cares for a person recognized as having a disability due to an 81–100 percent impairment of bodily functions, a child with a disability or a child under 8 years of age comes to an end.
• The period of full-time education for an able-bodied family member under 23 comes to an end.

If a house, apartment (other than the family’s only house or apartment) or vehicle is donated to the family, assistance is suspended from the date of the donation (Paragraph 4.7 of the Rules).

Reviewed: October 14, 2026.

Sources

• Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Targeted State Social Assistance (e-qanun.az)
• Rules for applying for, granting and providing targeted state social assistance, and refusing it, approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 37 of February 5, 2016 (e-qanun.az)
• Law on the Threshold of the Needs Criterion for 2026 in the Republic of Azerbaijan (president.az)
• Law on the Subsistence Minimum for 2026 in the Republic of Azerbaijan (president.az)
• Law No. 332-VIIQD of December 30, 2025 (president.az)
• DOST Agency: granting targeted state social assistance
• e-social.gov.az — online application