The Cabinet on Thursday approved a NT$131.38 billion (US$4.11 billion) budget to raise the allowances received by individuals on social welfare programs, while the monthly pension payout for farmers who are 65 years old or above will also be increased.
Citing Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁,) during a press conference, Cabinet spokesman Lin Tze-luen (林子倫) said the measures will take effect on Jan. 1 next year.
The announcement came after the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) presented that day a report on the government’s social welfare programs involving disadvantaged families and middle-to-low income seniors, as well as elderly farmers.
The payout for individuals in these groups are adjusted every four years, with the last time being in 2020.
The latest adjustment was made based on the growth of the consumer price index, Chen said, adding that the NT$131.38 billion budget will benefit roughly 3 million vulnerable people and elderly farmers in Taiwan.
According to the MOHW, the monthly pension payout for elderly farmers will be raised to NT$8,080.
Currently in Taiwan, individuals who have been enrolled in the farmers’ health insurance program for 15 years or more and are 65 years old and above are entitled to receive a monthly pension of NT$7,550.
For low-income families, the monthly living allowance will be raised from the current range of between NT$2,155 and NT$17,005 to NT$2,306-NT$18,195.
Meanwhile, the living allowance for people with disabilities is currently NT$3,772, NT$5,065 or NT$8,836 per month, depending on the degree of impairment and the individual’s financial situation. Based on the report, it will be raised to NT$4,036, NT$5,420 and NT$9,455, respectively.
In addition, the monthly living allowance of NT$3,879 or NT$7,759 currently provided to middle-to-low income seniors who do not live in publicly funded accommodations will be increased to NT$4,151 or NT$8,302.
The MOHW report also detailed the raising of monthly allowances for disadvantaged children and teenagers, as well as those under the Old-Age Guaranteed Pension Payments of the National Pension Insurance.
Source: Focus Taiwan
