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Türkiye is preparing to launch a pilot version of a new income-support model commonly referred to as the “citizenship income.”
The scheme has been discussed since the 2023 election cycle and was presented as a campaign point by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), and it is now incorporated into the 2026 Medium-Term Program as a structured family-focused support mechanism.
The program aims to guarantee a minimum per-capita income for individuals within a household without discouraging participation in the labor market and is expected to be formalized through new regulations and possibly legislation.
While the exact framework has not yet been published, government planning documents offer clues about its architecture. The model emphasizes assessing each individual separately rather than evaluating households as a single economic unit. On this end, it also marks a departure from Türkiye’s existing social-assistance methods.
Under the planned mechanism, authorities will establish a minimum income threshold. After determining each person’s actual income, the state will provide a complementary payment to bridge the gap between earnings and the threshold. The goal is to reduce income inequality by filling these shortfalls for low-income residents.
One of the core questions is how the minimum income benchmark will be calculated, as social support tends to be exploited in many countries across the world. At that stage, the government is expected to identify a monetary figure representing the minimum amount required for basic living costs.
While the precise method has not been confirmed, this benchmark will likely be lower than both the national minimum wage and the lowest state pension to avoid political and fiscal complications.
Policymakers are cautious about setting the benchmark above the lowest pension level. Doing so could imply that existing pension payments fall below acceptable living standards, creating significant public backlash.
Officials, therefore, anticipate establishing a figure below both levels. The calculation will consider annual changes in living expenses, but it will not be directly tied to inflation in the way wages or pensions are adjusted.
Instead, a yearly poverty or basic-needs threshold will likely be announced, with the state covering only the difference between that figure and a beneficiary’s documented income.
The pilot rollout will not begin nationwide. Instead, implementation is planned in stages, starting with the country’s least developed provinces. These areas are expected to be the first to test the income-completion model due to higher poverty rates and limited social mobility opportunities.
The second phase is expected to focus on the six provinces heavily affected by the February 2023 earthquakes. These regions face long-term economic challenges and have large populations in need of temporary and structural support. Officials view them as a critical test environment in a place where it's needed the most.
The third stage will expand to major metropolitan centers. Urban poverty presents different challenges than rural poverty, with weaker community networks and reduced informal support systems. Low-income residents in big cities often face higher living costs alongside diminished access to local social safety nets, making them a priority group for the program’s gradual integration.
The program is designed to cover households with low per-capita income, as well as individuals who live alone. This includes retirees receiving low pensions, unemployed or irregular workers, and people with disabilities whose income remains below the benchmark.
Authorities will rely on existing assessment systems such as the ASDEP mechanism, which already collects data on household earnings and living conditions. Through this system, the state will determine actual income, compare it to the annual threshold, and provide support equal to the difference.
For example, if the state identifies a minimum need level of ₺15,000 ($350) but an individual earns 10,000 ($230), the program would provide the remaining 5,000 ($120). The assistance is designed to be targeted and gap-based rather than a universal flat payment.
A significant feature of the proposed model is its attempt to avoid discouraging formal employment. Current social-assistance programs are often cut once a beneficiary finds a job, which has unintentionally encouraged informal work or remaining unemployed to maintain benefits.
Under the new system, officials aim to guarantee that support will not be immediately withdrawn. Beneficiaries who start working may continue receiving assistance for a fixed period, likely one year. This design intends to reduce the risk of losing support upon entering formal employment, encouraging people to stay in the regulated labor market.
The approach also aims to curb informality by assuring households that new income will not eliminate all support at once. By smoothing the transition, authorities hope to make the labor market more accessible to low-income groups without penalizing upward mobility.
The pilot phase will help determine long-term feasibility, including administrative costs, the accuracy of income assessments, and the budget needed to scale the program nationwide. The government has not yet indicated how many people will ultimately be covered or how quickly the model might expand beyond the pilot regions.
However, the program’s architects appear inclined to set conservative thresholds to maintain fiscal stability.
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