Turkey sets timetable for income-support plan to bring low-income households up to minimum wage

Turkey plans to move toward a new social-support model in which the state covers the gap between a household’s total income and the minimum wage.

The Family Income Supplement System is being developed jointly by the Labor Ministry and the Ministry of Family and Social Services. Instead of paying every individual the same amount, the proposed system would assess the income entering the household and calculate support from the shortfall against a defined threshold.

One example described in the plan involves an older person living alone whose income falls below the minimum wage. State support would raise that income to the minimum-wage level.

The system is currently being piloted in selected regions. Authorities expect to introduce it across Turkey from the beginning of 2027, covering households whose income remains below the established limit.

The proposal is also being discussed in relation to people waiting for gradual retirement. By maintaining household income at a certain level, the system could reduce the need for some people to retire early because of financial pressure.