site.btaSocial Benefits to Stay Unchanged in 2026, Pension Contribution Rate Frozen

Social benefits will remain unchanged next year and the shortfall from keeping the pension fund contribution rate flat will be offset through budget restructuring, Minister of Labour and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov said here Sunday.

He spoke to journalists before a meeting of the Supervisory Board of the National Social Security Institute, which is set to review the draft financial framework of the State Social Insurance for next year.

Social spending and public benefits will be maintained, so there is no reason for dissatisfaction, Gutsanov commented. He noted that after a three-year freeze, the maternity benefit for the second year of childcare will increase from BGN 780 to BGN 900. So far, mothers who returned to work in the second year received 50% of this benefit; next year this will rise to 75%, or BGN 675. The minimum wage, as stipulated by law, will increase from BGN 1,077 to BGN 1,213, or EUR 620.20, which is an entirely correct decision, given that Bulgaria has the lowest minimum wage in the EU, Gutsanov stressed.

The so‑called Swiss rule for pension indexation will be maintained. The pension contribution rate will not be increased next year, and the resulting revenue shortfall will be offset through budget restructuring; part of the necessary funds will be reallocated from infrastructure projects of the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Regional Development.

It depends on the MPs whether the budget will be adopted by the National Assembly by the end of the year, Gutsanov said in answer to a question from journalists.

On Monday the budgets will be discussed at the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation, and then at a meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Later on Sunday, the Supervisory Board of the National Health Insurance Fund is set to discuss the draft budget of the Fund for next year.