🤝 Who qualifies for economic assistance and how is it calculated?

With conditions

Quick answer

It depends — economic assistance is not given to everyone who asks; it is granted only after an assessment of the economic situation by points. Under Law no. 57/2019 on social assistance, economic assistance is administered by the State Social Service and given to families in need. The common myth is that “being unemployed is enough”. It is not — the application goes through a scoring system that assesses living conditions, property, income and remittances; the regional directorate decides within one month. Amounts start from around 1,800 lek a month for a family with one adult and rise with the family's make-up; for trafficked women and victims of domestic violence they go up to 9,900 lek. The upper limit of the assistance is 150% of the social pension. There are also supplements: an electricity compensation, around 300 lek per child up to 15 who attends school, and others. Watch the unit: these are new lek, so they are heard ten times higher in old lek.

📋 The rules

Under Law no. 57/2019 on social assistance, economic assistance is administered by the State Social Service for families in need.
The application is assessed by a scoring system (living conditions, property, income, remittances); the regional directorate decides within one month.
Amounts start from around 1,800 lek/month for a family with one adult and rise with make-up; up to 9,900 lek for trafficking and violence victims.
The upper limit of economic assistance is 150% of the social pension; the amounts are in new lek.
There are supplements: electricity compensation, around 300 lek per child up to 15 in school, and other compensations depending on the case.

🔓 Exceptions

Assistance is given partly or in full depending on the scoring result; not every applicant receives it, and not in the same amount.
Special categories (e.g. victims of domestic violence or trafficking) have special treatment and a higher amount.
Ownership of assets, undeclared income or remittances can disqualify or reduce the assistance, even when a family looks in need.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

There is no classic fine here, but there are consequences for false declarations and for failing to meet the conditions. If you give inaccurate data about income, property or family make-up to obtain the assistance, this can lead to the benefit being stopped, sums being reclaimed and liability for false declaration. The assistance is stopped when the situation changes (e.g. you find work, income rises) and you do not report it. Many families end up not benefiting because they believe “being unemployed is enough”, when it is the scoring that decides, not the wish. Watch the figures: the amounts are in new lek — “1,800 lek” is heard as 18,000 old lek — so inflated expectations bring disappointment. The real cost is not an immediate penalty, but the lost assistance, the duty to repay it, and the uncertainty of relying on wrong information instead of the official criteria.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Who qualifies for economic assistance in Albania?

Economic assistance is given to families in need under Law 57/2019 and administered by the State Social Service. Being unemployed is not enough; the application is assessed by a scoring system that looks at income, property, living conditions and remittances.

How much is the economic assistance?

Amounts start from around 1,800 lek a month for a family with one adult and rise with the family make-up, up to 9,900 lek for special categories. The upper limit is 150% of the social pension, and all these amounts are in new lek.

How is it decided whether I qualify?

A scoring system that assesses the family's economic situation decides, and the regional directorate of the State Social Service rules within one month. Depending on the result, the assistance can be given in full, partly, or refused if the family does not meet the criteria.

Are there supplements beyond the base amount?

Yes, beneficiaries also receive supplements such as an electricity compensation and around 300 lek per child up to 15 who attends school. These supplements are linked to the economic assistance and aim to cover specific costs of the family in need.

What happens if I give false data?

Declaring inaccurate data about income or property can lead to the assistance being stopped, the sums received being reclaimed and liability for false declaration. The assistance must also stop when the situation changes, so any change in income must be reported.

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