Over 800,000 Bulgarian Pensioners Live Below the Poverty Line

As of January, there are 2,065,573 pensioners in Bulgaria, with the average basic pension amounting to 835.91 leva, excluding additional supplements. A significant portion of the pensioner population, over 423,000 people, receive pensions below 580.57 leva, while another 390,000 are at the exact minimum of 580.57 leva, which is the lowest pension rate for length of service and age.

These pensioners, whose income falls below the poverty threshold set at 638 leva for 2025, are already categorized as living in poverty. Even after a pension update in July 2025, those on the minimum amounts will still receive pensions beneath this poverty line. The indexation for pensions granted by the end of 2024 is expected to fall between 8 and 9%, with the minimum pension for length of service and age set to be 631 leva according to the caretaker government's draft budget for this year.

Currently, there are 1,216,000 pensioners receiving pensions for service and age. Over 51,000 people receive reduced pensions due to opting for early retirement, having met the necessary service requirements but retiring a year before reaching the official retirement age. Additionally, nearly 470,000 individuals are receiving disability pensions. Social pensions, granted to those who meet specified income criteria, are awarded to more than 54,000 people, while just over 6,000 pensioners over the age of 70 benefit from the social old-age pension.

• Bulgarian National Radio (BNR)
• National Social Security Institute