The Department of Social Welfare has urged senior citizens aged 85 and above to register to receive benefits under the Social Pension Support Programme for the 2026-2027 financial year.
Those born before 1 April 1941 (the 6th waxing of Tagu, 1302 ME) are eligible for benefits under the Social Pension Programme and may register by 31 May 2026 at the relevant ward or village administration offices, or at nearby social welfare offices.
The Department of Social Welfare announced that beneficiaries of the Social Pension Support Programme will receive payments twice during the 2026-2027 financial year, with each payment covering six months. As payments will be made through a mobile money transfer system from this year onwards, beneficiaries are advised to activate the relevant mobile transfer services in advance in order to receive the payments on their mobile phones.
The Social Pension Programme, which aims to provide financial assistance to elderly people and support income security in old age, was introduced in the 2017-2018 financial year. At present, around 150,000 people aged 85 and above are eligible to receive social pension benefits.
According to the “Research Report on the Elderly”, officially released by the Department of Population, the number of elderly people in urban areas is higher than in rural areas. The report also noted that the highest growth in the elderly population has been recorded in Magway, Bago, Mandalay, Sagaing, Ayeyawady and Yangon regions, as well as Mon State.
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