Number of households receiving aid tops 6.5 million in Turkey

* Photo: Güliz Vural / BIRN

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The Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services has released its 2020 activity report. According to the Ministry's report, 6 million 630 thousand households received aid in Turkey in 2020.

This number was 3 million 282 thousand in 2019, which shows that the number of households receiving social relief rose by 102 percent in a year.

In 2020, the Ministry allocated 69 billion Turkish Lira (TRY) to social relief. This number was 55 billion TRY in 2019.

The share of social relief also increased from 1.24 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019 to 1.42 percent in 2020.

While 2 million 450 thousand households received aid from the Ministry regularly, 2 million 733 households received temporary aid. 1 million 436 thousand households benefited from both types of aid.

Increase in other aid as well

In 2020, 4 million 414 thousand people living in 1 million 154 thousand households received food aid (629 million 297 thousand 527 TRY) in Turkey. In 2019, the number of households receiving food aid was 688 thousand 507 and 343 million TRY was paid for the aid. 23 thousand 498 households in need were also granted with maintenance and household furniture aid in 2020 and 88 million 390 thousand TRY was paid for this aid.

As part of the education aid provided by Social Solidarity Foundations to the families in need, 41 thousand 495 students were provided with this aid (14 million 505 thousand TRY). In 2019, the number of students benefiting from this aid was 58 thousand 425 and the amount paid was 11 million 450 TRY. (HA/SD)