Pension and social assistance: what to do under Georgian law

What to do

1. State pension: the state pension is payable from age 65, and for women from age 60 (Law of Georgia on State Pension, Art. 5). The right belongs to citizens, to stateless persons with the relevant status, and to foreigners who have lived lawfully and permanently in Georgia for the last 10 years (same Law, Art. 1). The pension is not granted or is terminated during public service (same Law, Art. 5).
2. Application: the body is the Social Service Agency (same Law, Art. 4). The decision is made no later than 10 days after all documents are submitted (same Law, Art. 14). Payment starts from the first day of the month following the application (same Law, Art. 14). The amount is set annually by the state budget law, and indexation up to age 70 is at least GEL 20 (same Law, Art. 7).
3. Suspension: if the pension has not been received for 6 consecutive months, it is suspended (same Law, Art. 16). On resumption, arrears are paid for no more than 1 year (same Law, Art. 16). After 3 years of suspension, the pension is terminated (same Law, Art. 17).
4. Funded pension (Pension Fund): for employees it is mandatory, with age exemptions. Contributions are 2% of salary from each of the employer and the employee, plus the state contribution (Law of Georgia on Funded Pensions, Art. 3). The savings are the property of the participant, but they can be disposed of only from pensionable age or in other cases provided by law (same Law, Art. 24). One such case is the status of a person with disabilities, which allows a pension at any age (same Law, Art. 33). On death, the savings go to heirs and are paid as a lump sum or in instalments.
5. Social assistance: the subsistence allowance is paid to poor families identified by the assessment system (rating) (Law of Georgia on Social Assistance, Art. 7). The amount and the threshold are set by government and ministerial decisions.
6. A refusal is an administrative act. An administrative complaint must be filed within 1 month of official notification (GAC, Art. 180). Silence of the body within the deadline counts as a refusal (GAC, Art. 177). A court action must be brought within 1 month of the decision on the complaint, or of the expiry of the deadline for considering it (APC, Art. 22).
7. Where to apply: the Social Service Agency; the Pension Fund (savings); the district (city) court.
8. Evidence: identity document or residence permit; information on family and income; the agency's decision and the date it was received; medical documents.
9. Pitfalls: missing the one-month appeal deadline, which runs from official receipt of the decision; not receiving the pension for 6 months (for example, during a departure), which leads to suspension and loss of payments; work in public service terminates the right to the state pension.

Be sure to check

• conditions of entitlement: age, citizenship or status, residence
• which body grants the benefit and within what deadline
• suspension and termination of payments
• appeal of a refusal: complaint within 1 month, then court