The draft law on the minimum subsistence level for 2025 was approved in the first reading in the Milli Majlis.
Yeniavaz.com reports that according to the bill, the subsistence minimum for the next year is set at 285 manats for the country, 305 manats for the working population, 232 manats for pensioners and 246 manats for children.
For comparison, this year the subsistence minimum in the country was 270 manats, for the working population - 287 manats, for pensioners - 222 manats, for children - 235 manats.
Commenting on this issue, economist expert Allahverdi Aydin told Yeniavaz.com that it is understandable that the subsistence minimum will increase by 15 manats or 5.5%:
"As is known, according to the latest published information, the official inflation in the country was 3.4%. However, in parallel with the subsistence minimum, the old-age benefit should be increased. The subsistence minimum for pensioners will be 232 manats. Persons receiving old-age benefits are those who have actually reached retirement age and are not employed. Therefore, the amount of the old-age benefit should not be lower than the subsistence minimum from January 1. Article 1.0.2 of the Law "On Subsistence Minimum" states that the subsistence minimum is a social norm consisting of the sum of the cost of the minimum consumer basket and mandatory payments. Clause 1.0.1 of this Law establishes that the minimum consumer basket is a set of food, non-food goods and services necessary to ensure a minimum level of health and human life activity, determined on the basis of scientific standards.
It is also clear from the requirements of the law that any person living in Azerbaijan needs funds equal to the subsistence minimum in order to be able to ensure their health and life activity at a minimum level. This year this amount was 222 manats, next year it will be 232 manats. In this case, it is not clear that the age supplement is 220 manats. If a person has reached retirement age and receives a benefit of 220 manats, but does not receive additional assistance from anywhere, then where can he get the additional 12 manats necessary for living at a minimum level?"

Allahverdi Aydin

The expert economist noted that currently more than 152 thousand people in Azerbaijan receive old-age benefits:
"In recent years, the number of people receiving old-age benefits has been growing rapidly. In order for these people to be able to live at a minimum level, the amount of benefits must correspond to the subsistence minimum. Since the increase in the subsistence minimum will come into effect on January 1, the age allowances must also be increased within the next month. Otherwise, the lives of more than 152 thousand people at the minimum level will be in doubt".

Elnur Ali