What Are the Elderly Welfare Allowances? A Look at Low- and Middle-Income Living Allowance, Special Care Allowance, and Senior Citizen Payments
Elderly welfare allowances in Taiwan are mainly divided into several categories: ① Low- and Middle-Income Elderly Living Allowance (for those aged 65 and above with household income and assets below thresholds, currently NT$4,164 or NT$8,329 per month, depending on income level); ② Low- and Middle-Income Elderly Special Care Allowance (for family members caring for severely disabled low- and middle-income elderly, NT$5,000 per month); ③ Locally administered Senior Citizen/Respect for the Aged payments (amounts and eligibility vary by city/county; some issue them, others do not); ④ National Pension "Old-Age Basic Guarantee Annuity" (consolidated from the former Senior Citizen Welfare Living Allowance, NT$4,049 per month). These are "cash benefits," distinct from the service benefits of Long-Term Care 2.0/3.0 and the annuities of Labor Insurance/National Pension, and often have asset-testing and exclusion rules. Applications should be made at the Social Affairs Section of the household registration office, or by calling the toll-free 1957 Welfare Consultation Hotline. The following is a neutral summary; amounts and eligibility are subject to the latest announcements by the competent authorities.
What are the main types of elderly welfare allowances?
Common elderly cash benefits can be divided into the following categories. The first two have low- and middle-income thresholds, the third is locally administered, and the fourth is a nationwide annuity:
- Low- and Middle-Income Elderly Living Allowance: For those aged 65 and above with income and assets below thresholds, currently Level 1: NT$8,329 per month, Level 2: NT$4,164 per month (divided into two levels based on income)
- Low- and Middle-Income Elderly Special Care Allowance: For family members caring for severely disabled low- and middle-income elderly, NT$5,000 per month
- Senior Citizen/Respect for the Aged Payments: Self-administered by city/county governments; amounts, eligibility, and whether issued vary by location
- National Pension "Old-Age Basic Guarantee Annuity": Consolidated from the former Senior Citizen Welfare Living Allowance, NT$4,049 per month, disbursed by the Bureau of Labor Insurance
How are allowances, long-term care, and annuities different? (Don't get confused)
These three systems are different, with different administering agencies and natures, and often have asset-testing or exclusion rules:
- Welfare Allowances: Cash assistance, mostly with asset-testing and low- and middle-income status thresholds (contact the Social Affairs Section of the district office)
- Long-Term Care 2.0/3.0: Service benefits (care workers, day care, respite care, assistive devices), not universal cash payments (call 1966)
- Annuities: Social insurance, calculated based on contribution years (Labor Insurance/National Pension, disbursed by the Bureau of Labor Insurance)
- Exclusion rules: For example, those receiving the "Old-Age Basic Guarantee Annuity" cannot simultaneously receive other social welfare allowances; the "Special Care Allowance" requires that long-term care nursing care is not used
How to apply? Where to check?
Allowance eligibility and amounts are adjusted annually and by city/county. It is recommended to use official channels to confirm, and not rely on outdated information:
- Township/district office "Social Affairs Section" of household registration: Main application window for Low- and Middle-Income Elderly Living Allowance, Special Care Allowance, denture subsidies, and senior citizen payments
- City/county government Social Affairs Bureau/Department: Check local programs, amounts, and eligibility
- 1957 Welfare Consultation Hotline: Toll-free, daily 8:00–22:00, year-round, staffed by social workers for consultation and referral
- For long-term care services, call the 1966 Long-Term Care Hotline
FAQ
How much is the Low- and Middle-Income Elderly Living Allowance per month? What are the eligibility criteria?
Currently (as of 2026), it is divided into two levels based on average monthly household income per person: Level 1: NT$8,329 per month, Level 2: NT$4,164 per month. Eligibility criteria: aged 65 or above, actually residing in the registered household, and total household income and assets below thresholds (income is calculated as a multiple of the "minimum cost of living"; asset and deposit limits for a single-person household are approximately NT$2.5 million, with additional amounts for each additional member). Actual amounts and thresholds are subject to the latest announcements by the Social and Family Affairs Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and each city/county government.
Can family members caring for disabled elderly receive an allowance?
Yes, there is the "Low- and Middle-Income Elderly Special Care Allowance," which provides NT$5,000 per month to caregivers. Main conditions: the care recipient receives the Low- and Middle-Income Elderly Living Allowance, is assessed as severely disabled or above, and is not receiving institutional care or hired caregivers (including foreign caregivers), nor receiving other government care subsidies; the caregiver must be a cohabiting family member and not engaged in full-time employment, etc. Detailed conditions vary by city/county; please consult the Social Affairs Section of the household registration office.
Can everyone receive the "Senior Citizen Allowance"?
Not necessarily. The commonly referred to "Senior Citizen Allowance/Respect for the Aged Payments" are mostly self-administered and self-budgeted by city/county governments. Whether they are issued, the amounts, age and residency requirements, and asset-testing vary greatly by city/county; some issue them, others do not. Please refer to the announcements of your household registration city/county or district office. Additionally, there is a nationwide National Pension "Old-Age Basic Guarantee Annuity" (NT$4,049 per month), which is a different system consolidated from the former Senior Citizen Welfare Living Allowance and disbursed by the Bureau of Labor Insurance.
Is there a subsidy for elderly dentures? What should I be aware of?
Yes, but it is handled by city/county governments, not uniformly nationwide. Amounts and eligibility vary by location, typically targeting low- and middle-income or eligible elderly. The most important procedure: you must first go to a government-contracted dentist for evaluation and obtain approval before having dentures made; applying after the dentures are made usually results in no subsidy. There is often a rule that no repeat subsidy is given for the same jaw within a few years. Please first consult the Social Affairs Bureau or district office of your household registration to confirm the process and eligibility.
Can these allowances be received together with long-term care subsidies and annuities?
It depends. Welfare allowances (cash assistance), Long-Term Care 2.0/3.0 service benefits, and Labor Insurance/National Pension (annuities) are three different systems, but they often have asset-testing or exclusion designs—for example, those receiving the "Old-Age Basic Guarantee Annuity" cannot simultaneously receive other social welfare allowances, and the "Special Care Allowance" requires that long-term care nursing care is not used. In practice, eligibility must be checked item by item; it is not advisable to assume all can be stacked. You can call the 1957 Welfare Consultation Hotline for inquiries.
· This page is a neutral compilation of information for reference only, not medical, legal, tax, or admission advice. For actual regulations and services, please refer to official announcements from competent authorities and the institutions themselves.