The average pension in 2022 will be over BGN 573

The average pension in 2022 will be over BGN 573

The average pension in 2022 will reach BGN 573.76 without the COVID supplement of BGN 60, which will be paid to all pensioners in the period January-June. This is provided by the draft law of the 2022 State Social Insurance (SSI) budget, which was approved by the government. According to the forecasts with the included one-off additional amounts, the pensions are expected to increase by 13.4% compared to 2021.

The draft envisages that from July 1, all pensions granted by the end of 2021 will increase by 6.1%. Adding the one-off additional amounts to them, the growth of pensions is expected to be 13.4%.

From July 1, the minimum amount of the pension for periods of social insurance and old age will increase to BGN 392.57. The maximum amount of one or more pensions received in 2022 is BGN 1,500. In 2022, 14.119 billion are provided for the payment of pensions - by BGN 1.072 billion more compared to the expenditures in 2021.

From April 1, it is proposed to increase the benefit for raising a child under two years of age from BGN 650 to BGN 710. From the same date, the minimum unemployment benefit will increase from BGN 12 to BGN 18 per day and the maximum daily amount will increase from BGN 74.29 to BGN 85.71.

The draft proposes that from April 1 the maximum insurance income for all insured persons be increased from BGN 3,000 to BGN 3,400. The minimum insurance income for self-insured persons will be increased from BGN 650 to BGN 710, as well as for farmers and tobacco producers from BGN 420 to BGN 710.

The amount of the social insurance contribution for the Pension Fund and the Pension Fund for the persons under Art. 69 of the State Social Insurance (SSI) remains at the level of 2021. The amounts of the social insurance contributions for the other funds of the state social insurance, as well as the relations between the insurers and the insured persons remain unchanged.

The draft law provides for the possibility for the National Social Security Institute to pay by June inclusive an additional amount representing the difference between the income from pensions received in January 2022 including "COVID supplement" of BGN 60 and the income from pensions for December 2021 including "COVID supplement" of BGN 120 .

Given the continuation of the epidemic emergency situation, the bill proposes that in 2022 the period of unpaid leave, which is considered for length of service and insurable length of service upon retirement, be increased to 90 days.