Around 522,000 Kazakhstanis could lose state benefits under new means-testing rules

Around 522,000 Kazakhstanis could lose state benefits because of means-testing criteria taking effect on 1 January 2027, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin said.

According to Zhumangarin, about 77,000 Kazakhstanis have a high (“A”) level of wellbeing, while the remaining 445,000 fall into the wealthy (“B”) category. The Ministry of Labour is still conducting an exact count of these groups. The minister said around 30 components of the system will be used and monitoring will be carried out daily.

The government has approved new criteria under which wealthy families will no longer be able to receive state support. The changes will alter how 10 benefits are paid, including the one-time childbirth payment, the monthly childcare allowance and payments to large families. After the new rules are approved, Labour Ministry representatives will visit all 20 regions to explain the reform. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said the reform is expected to save the republican budget 2.5 trillion tenge over three years.