30.10.2026 03:44
Following President Erdoğan's signal of a new regulation for retirees, attention turned to the salary increases to be made in January. Faruk Erdem, a Sabah columnist close to the government, claimed that in addition to the 10 percent inflation raise for SSK and Bağ-Kur retirees, granting a welfare share of between 10 and 20 points is on the table. If the claim materializes, the total raise rate could rise to 30 percent.
As millions of retirees await the raise to be made to their salaries in January 2027, a striking claim regarding the welfare share has been put forward. While the inflation-based raise rate for SSK and Bağ-Kur retirees is expected to be around 10 percent, it has been claimed that a welfare share of between 10 and 20 points could be added to this increase. Another option on the agenda is a gradual and across-the-board increase to base pensions.
ERDOĞAN GIVES SIGNAL OF NEW REGULATION FOR RETIREES
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in his statement after the Cabinet Meeting, stated that they are aware of the economic difficulties experienced by retirees and signaled that work is underway on a new regulation.
Erdoğan said, "Hopefully, in the 2027 budget, we are creating the financial opportunities that will somewhat improve the situation of our retirees, who are the crown of our heads. For this, we hope to implement the necessary legal regulation by the end of the year within the framework of justice and fairness, with the appreciation of our Grand National Assembly of Turkey."
CLAIM OF 10-20 POINTS FOR WELFARE SHARE
After Erdoğan's statements, attention turned to the retiree pension increases to be made in January.
Sabah columnist Faruk Erdem reported that the January inflation raise for SSK and Bağ-Kur retirees is calculated at around 10 percent, and that adding a welfare share of between 10 and 20 points on top of it is on the agenda.
If this estimate comes true, the total raise rate could reach a range of 20 percent to 30 percent. However, no official decision regarding these rates has yet been announced.
OPTION OF GRADUAL INCREASE TO BASE PENSIONS
Another possibility of regulation aimed at eliminating the differences between retiree pensions has also come to the agenda.
Erdem, recalling that retirees' base pensions are determined according to their number of premium days and the premiums they paid, stated that a gradual across-the-board increase could be made to reduce these differences.
If this option is implemented, increases in different amounts could be applied to retirees' base pensions, taking into account their premium days and payments.
NEW MODEL FOR LOWEST RETIREE PENSION ON THE AGENDA
In the current practice, the payments of retirees whose base pension remains below the determined minimum pension are topped up to the lowest retiree pension with Treasury support.
Erdem stated that this practice leads to retirees with different base pensions receiving the same pension, while those receiving a pension just above the minimum pension cannot benefit from Treasury support.
Erdem, noting that these differences could be reduced through gradual across-the-board increases to base pensions, argued that such a regulation could also eliminate the need to determine a minimum pension every six months.
RAISE EXPECTATION ALSO FOR CIVIL SERVANT RETIREES
According to the shared estimates, civil servant retirees are expected to receive an inflation difference in addition to the 5 percent increase arising from the collective agreement in January.
It is claimed that the total raise rate could be around 8-9 percent, while the lowest civil servant retiree pension could rise to approximately 33 thousand liras.
The exact raise rates for retiree pensions will become clear after the inflation data for the second half of the year are finalized and possible additional regulations are decided.