👴 Who qualifies for the social pension in Albania and how much is it?

With conditions

Quick answer

It depends — the social pension is given only when you meet several strict conditions; it is not a payment for anyone over 70. Under Law no. 7703/1993 on social insurance (as amended) and administered by the ISSH, the social pension goes to a person who: has turned 70; has lived in Albania for at least the last 5 years; does not meet the conditions for any pension from the mandatory scheme; and has no income, or income lower than a social pension. Here is where the figure trap hides: many pages still repeat 6,750 lek, which was the amount in 2015. After yearly indexation, today the social pension is around 10,000 lek a month, and the 2025–2030 strategy aims to raise it toward 200 euro. Watch the unit too: “10,000 lek” in new lek is often heard as 100,000 old lek. So the real question is not just “how much”, but “do you meet all four conditions”.

📋 The rules

Under Law no. 7703/1993 on social insurance, the social pension is administered by the ISSH and given only when all the conditions are met.
It requires the age of 70 and permanent residence in Albania for at least the last 5 years.
The beneficiary must not meet the conditions for any pension from the mandatory social-insurance scheme.
The beneficiary must have no income, or income lower than a social pension; otherwise they receive only the difference.
The figure 6,750 lek was the 2015 amount; after indexation the social pension today is around 10,000 lek a month.

🔓 Exceptions

When a person has some income but below the threshold, they receive only the difference up to the social-pension amount, not the full sum.
There are proposals (e.g. from the World Bank) to raise the social-pension age from 70 to 72; still under discussion, not in force.
The beneficiary must submit a yearly declaration of their social-economic situation; the payment stops if it is not collected or completed.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

There is no fine here, but benefits are lost through unmet conditions or myths. Anyone who believes every person over 70 gets the social pension is wrong: if you meet the conditions for an ordinary pension or have income above the threshold, you do not qualify, or you receive only the difference. Failing to submit the yearly social-economic declaration, or not collecting the pension at the designated centres, leads to the payment being stopped. The figure trap is costly: whoever still counts on 6,750 lek from 2015 has the wrong expectation, while the real amount today is around 10,000 lek. And watch the unit — “10,000 lek” in new lek is 100,000 old lek, so the sum sounds ten times bigger. The real cost, then, is not a penalty, but a pension lost or interrupted because the conditions were not followed.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Who is entitled to the social pension?

The social pension goes to a person who has turned 70, has lived in Albania for at least the last 5 years and does not meet the conditions for any pension from the mandatory scheme. It also requires having no income, or income lower than a social pension.

How much is the social pension today?

Many sources still repeat 6,750 lek, which was the 2015 amount, but after indexation the social pension today is around 10,000 lek a month. Watch the unit, because “10,000 lek” in new lek is often wrongly heard as 100,000 old lek.

What if I have a little other income?

If you have income but below the threshold of a social pension, you do not receive the full sum but only the difference up to the set amount. So the social pension tops up low income up to a level, and is not added on top like an independent payment.

Could the social-pension age rise?

There have been proposals, including from the World Bank, to raise the social-pension age from 70 to 72. So far this proposal remains under discussion and not in force, so the current age condition is still 70.

What must I do each year to keep it?

The beneficiary must submit a yearly declaration of their social-economic situation and collect the pension at the designated centres. If the declaration is not completed or the pension is not collected, the payment can be stopped until the situation is fixed.

🔎 Common searches

What people search to land here:

“social pension albania”
“how much is the social pension”
“social pension conditions”
“social pension over 70”
“social pension 2026”
“issh social pension”