Fidesz’s Commitments, All Delivered – Extra Benefits Have Boosted Pensioners Over The Past Decade

One of the government’s key commitments is to guarantee the real value of pensions. In recent years, however, there have been economic and other situations in which the cabinet decided to provide additional benefits to pensioners. In this installment of our series summarizing fulfilled government promises, we review the vouchers and support measures aimed at the elderly.

A postal worker delivers the February pension, the 13th-month pension, and the first quarterly installment of the 14th-month pension to a pensioner in the capital on February 6, 2026. Photo: MTI / Boglarka Bodnar

Since 2016, pensioners have on several occasions received one-off assistance from the government in addition to their monthly benefits. This article does not focus on the 13th or 14th month pension, nor on pension premiums or supplementary increases, but rather on those extra resources through which the state sought to provide support in specific economic or life situations.

An employee of the Hungarian Post delivers a 30,000-forint food voucher to a pensioner in the capital (Photo: MTI / Boglarka Bodnar)

The Erzsebet Era

Even before Christmas 2016, Erzsebet vouchers became a basic form of assistance for pensioners and those receiving pension-like benefits, who received them in the amount of 10,000 forints. These vouchers could be redeemed for food or hot meals. It is worth noting that this measure had a precursor in 2015: under the Erzsebet Program, seniors could apply for free spa entry tickets. Then Christmas 2017 and Easter 2018 once again brought 10,000-forint voucher packages to all 2.7 million Hungarian pensioners, helping ease the financial burden of holiday shopping.

Extra Utility Support

As Erzsebet vouchers were phased out in 2019, the government sought new solutions. In August, utility vouchers were introduced, totaling 9,000 forints: three vouchers worth 3,000 forints each could be redeemed at post offices to pay gas, electricity, water, or district heating bills. It should be noted that this additional support was provided alongside Hungary’s already among the lowest household utility prices in Europe.

Thirty Thousand Forints For Food

The government also took special measures to support pensioners in response to the sharp price increases of recent times, deciding that in the fall of 2025 pensioners would receive food vouchers worth 30,000 forints. These paper-based vouchers could typically be used in rural small shops, larger retail chains, markets, and with primary producers.

Support That Can Be Built Into The Home

Although not exclusively for the elderly, it is worth noting here that a year ago the Ministry for National Economy amended the Rural Home Renovation Program, enabling pensioners living in small settlements with fewer than 5,000 residents to access support under more favorable conditions. This can amount to up to 3 million forints in non-repayable grants and 6 million forints in subsidized loans for energy modernization, including heating upgrades.

Among regular monthly expenses, travel is also a significant item, but support for pensioners in this area has become very straightforward: anyone over the age of 65 can use public transportation free of charge anywhere in the country. Pensioners under 65 can purchase an unlimited number of half-price tickets and county or national passes with a 90-percent discount using their beneficiary IDs. There is no longer any need for the old stamped paper documents—presenting a plastic card is sufficient.

Of course, the costs of everyday life concern not only pensioners; nearly the entire Hungarian population keeps a close eye on prices. This is why the margin cap is also considered a major measure, the details of which will be discussed in the next article in our series.

(To be continued)

               

       

       
       

            További játékainkhoz kattintson ide!