The Azerbaijani government aims to increase the 2019 subsistence minimum by seven manats to a new total of 180 manats (106 USD).
The proposed bill sets the living wage for able-bodied citizens at 191 manats (112 USD) while pensioners receive 149 manats (87 USD) and children 160 manats (94 USD).
The subsistence minimum is defined as the lowest income necessary to cover a person’s basic needs at a level that allows them to survive. In 2018, this amount was set at 173 manats (101 USD) and in 2017 at 155 manats (91 USD).
The government furthermore proposes to set the need threshold used to identify the amount of targeted social assistance citizens receive at 143 manats.
Azerbaijan has been using the system of targeted social assistance since 2016. Additional social assistance is calculated based on the difference between the need threshold and the amount of income per family member. Families with an income lower than the defined threshold are eligible for targeted social assistance.
