The Republic of Turkey provides a 65+ monthly allowance (also referred to as elderly, needy, or senior allowance) under Law No. 2022 for citizens who have reached the age of 65, are in need of assistance, and have no relatives to support them. The primary eligibility condition for receiving the needy allowance is having reached the age of 65. Citizens who meet the other required conditions and submit the necessary form to the Social Security Institution (SGK) can also perform an Emekli Sandığı 65-year allowance inquiry.
According to the regulation issued by the Ministry of Family and Social Policies added to Law No. 2022, the conditions to be eligible for the 65+ allowance are:
- Needy elderly persons who have reached the age of 65,
- Persons with disabilities who have lost 40–60% of bodily function, persons who have lost 70% or more of bodily function, and those disabled persons who cannot live independently without assistance,
- Citizens responsible for caring for a relative under 18 years old who has more than 40% disability; such caregivers may receive monthly and health assistance under the law.
How Is Need Determined for the 65+ Allowance and How to Apply?
Before performing an Emekli Sandığı 65-year allowance inquiry, it helps to understand how the allowance is evaluated. To receive the 65+ allowance, a means test is carried out to determine the household’s financial situation: whether the applicant is needy and, if so, to what extent. All citizens who meet the conditions listed below are eligible to receive the 65+ allowance.
- The annual amounts of declared salary and all other income calculated as a monthly average,
- One two-hundred-fortieth (1/240) of the market value of the residence occupied by the applicant if the residence is owned by another person and no rent is paid,
- The total monthly income from this amount and rental income,
- If no income is derived from an external property, one one-hundred-twentieth (1/120) of the property’s market value,
- One two-hundred-fortieth (1/240) of the market value for shops and the total rental income from them,
- If no income is derived from a shop, one one-hundred-twentieth (1/120) of the shop’s market value,
- One two-hundred-fortieth (1/240) of the market value of agricultural land or other plots registered to the household and the monthly income they generate,
- One one-hundred-twentieth (1/120) of the market value of vehicles registered to the household,
- For vehicles registered for commercial use, one one-hundred-twentieth (1/120) of their market value and the monthly income they produce,
- Monthly amount of annual income produced by household livestock,
- Twice the monthly interest income from household bank deposits,
- The monthly average of all types of assistance received under Law No. 2022,
- Income provided to the household through alimony, even if the payer lives in a different household,
- Income from agricultural subsidies,
- Income of household members employed with long-term insurance,
- Other incomes — all sources are combined and assessed as a monthly average. Investigations concerning immovable properties owned by the household are carried out by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees at district governorates.
Applicants must first satisfy the conditions above. Then they should apply to the Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations in the province/district where they reside to obtain a “needy report” confirming their eligibility. After filling out the application form provided by the foundation and ensuring the form includes the signature of the person who received it, applicants submit the documents to the Social Security Institution (SGK) to complete the application process. The next section explains how to perform the Emekli Sandığı 65-year allowance inquiry.
How to Perform an Emekli Sandığı 65-Year Allowance / Needy Allowance / Elderly Allowance Inquiry
The most important information required to perform an Emekli Sandığı 65-year allowance inquiry is your Turkish Republic Identification Number (T.C. identity number). You can access the relevant system and complete the inquiry using the links or portals provided by authorized institutions. When the system page opens, you will be prompted to enter your T.C. identity number; after entering it, you can perform the Emekli Sandığı 65-year allowance inquiry.
What Changed in the New System Since 2017?
In 2017 some values were updated and adjustments were made to allowances for elderly, disabled, and caregiver beneficiaries. Under the regulation applied according to Article 1 of Law No. 2022, the allowance amount is calculated by multiplying the indicator number (1620) by the civil servant monthly coefficient. Accordingly, the amount for needy persons aged 65 or over is determined by that product.
For example, for the period between 01.01.2017 and 30.06.2017, the monthly allowance was set at 155.61 TL. An additional 5% payment equaled 7.78 TL, bringing the total to 163.39 TL. For disabled beneficiaries determined to have over 70% need, payment was tripled, resulting in 490.18 TL.
For comparison, calculations for the period 01.01.2016–30.06.2016 resulted in 453.21 TL, and for 01.01.2015–30.06.2015 a payment of 404.71 TL was applied. Monthly allowances and related procedures granted under Law No. 2022 are processed after applications submitted via governorates/district governorates are forwarded to SGK and investigations are completed in the order documents are received.
When and How Are Payments Made?
In allowance disbursement procedures, delays can occur if required documents are not delivered fully and in order; applications are processed in sequence of arrival. The first payment is made at any branch of Ziraat Bank within Turkey. After the initial payment, subsequent disbursements are made through PTT branches. Allowances paid under the law are social assistance payments and are not provided in exchange for services or based on contributions. These social assistance payments are disbursed quarterly in three-month installments, typically in March, June, September, and December.