Consultation Center for Additional Benefit Payments Based on the Supreme Court Ruling
Regarding Additional Benefit Payments for Those Who Have Been Receiving Public Assistance Benefits Since August 2013
- Notice on Additional Benefit Payments Based on the Supreme Court Ruling Concerning the 2013 Revision of the Livelihood Assistance Standards -
About Additional Benefit Payments
- In the Supreme Court ruling of June 27, 2025, concerning the revision of the Livelihood Assistance Standards implemented for three years from 2013, it was pointed out that there were errors and omissions in the process and procedures of the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare's decision-making regarding the deflation adjustment, and the revision was therefore deemed unlawful.
- Deliberations concerning the appropriate response to this ruling were conducted by the Expert Committee on the Response to the Supreme Court Ruling (hereinafter referred to as the "Expert Committee") composed of academic experts, and a report was compiled in November 2025.
- Based on this report and related materials, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare will pay additional benefits corresponding to the difference between the previous benefit levels and the revised levels. The outline of the payments is shown below.
- For details on the background of the additional benefit payments and related notifications, please visit the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's website.
Consultation Center for Additional Benefit Payments Based on the Supreme Court Ruling
(Commissioned Project assigned by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
The Consultation Center responds to inquiries regarding the additional benefit payments and related matters.
If you have any questions or require further information, please contact us at the number below.
(Free of charge)
Office Hours / Weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Overview of the Additional Benefit Payments
Eligible Households
- All households that received public assistance benefits at any time between August 2013 and September 2018.
- In addition, among households that received public assistance benefits at any time between October 2018 and March 2026, households with individuals hospitalized or admitted to institutions for a certain period or individuals with disabilities for whom additional allowances were applied, as well as households for which the year-end temporary assistance benefit payment provided every December was applied, are also eligible.
- Households that are not currently receiving public assistance are also eligible if they meet the above conditions.
Basic Living Expenses and Additional Allowances Eligible for Standard Benefit Payments
- The applicable periods for additional benefit payments related to standard living expenses and additional allowances are as follows.
- The rates of the additional benefit payments are as follows: +0.8% (August 2013-March 2014), +1.6% (April 2014-March 2015), and +2.4% (from April 2015 onward). (*1)
| FY 2013 | FY 2014 | FY 2015 | FY 2016 | FY 2017 | FY 2018 | FY 2019- FY 2025 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Standard Amounts for Recipients Living in Their Homes (Category I and Category II) |
August 2013-September 2018(*2)
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Expenses for Daily Necessities for Hospitalized Patients, Standard Amounts for Relief Facilities, and Basic Living Expenses of Residents of Nursing Homes Year-end Temporary Assistance Benefit Payment Additional Allowance for Pregnant and Nursing Mothers; Disability Allowance (excluding the Allowance for Severely Disabled Persons, Family Care Expenses, and Third-Party Care Expenses); Allowance for Residents of Nursing Homes; Home-Care Patient Allowance; Radiation Disability Allowance (limited to cases from October 2013 onward); Single-Mother Allowance (for hospitalized patients and others); and Winter Allowance (hospitals and long-term care facilities) Minor Deduction (Deduction for Persons Under 20 Years of Age) |
August 2013-March 2026
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Winter Allowance (for Home-based Living, Relief Facilities, etc.) |
August 2013-September 2015(*2)
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Single-Mother Allowance (for Recipients Living in Their Homes) |
August 2013-September 2018(*2)
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- (*1)The additional payment rate for the year-end temporary assistance benefit is +2.4% (August 2013 to March 2026).
- (*2)The applicable period for additional benefit payments for each standard living expense and additional allowance is the period during which the deflation adjustment is in effect.
Amount to Be Paid
The difference between the revised levels and the previous levels of the Livelihood Assistance Standards
Examples of Additional Benefit Payment Amounts Based on the Supreme Court Ruling
- The amount of additional benefit payments varies depending on such factors as the recipient's age at the time, the number of household members, the region of residence, the period during which the recipient received public assistance, and whether any additional allowances are applicable.
- Examples of additional benefit payment amounts for households that continuously received public assistance from August 2013 to March 2026 are as follows. (If the benefit was received only for part of the above period, payment will be made only for the corresponding number of months.)
[Example for Urban Areas (Grade 1-1)] * Case of Home-based Living
| Examples of Households | If public assistance was received continuously from August 2013 to March 2026 (total) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2013- March 2014 (8 months) |
April 2014- March 2015 (12 months) |
April 2015- September 2018 (42 months) |
October 2018- March 2026 (90 months) |
||
| Example of a Single-Person Household Consisting of a Person in Their 60s | 105,000 yen | 5,000 yen | 16,000 yen | 81,000 yen | 2,000 yen |
| Example of a Household Consisting of a Couple in Their 30s and a Four-Year-Old Child | 204,000 yen | 10,000 yen | 30,000 yen | 158,000 yen | 4,000 yen |
[Example for Rural Areas (Grade 3-2)] * Case of Home-Based Living
| Examples of Households | If public assistance was received continuously from August 2013 to March 2026 (total) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2013- March 2014 (8 months) |
April 2014- March 2015 (12 months) |
April 2015- September 2018 (42 months) |
October 2018- March 2026 (90 months) |
||
| Example of a Single-Person Household Consisting of a Person in Their 60s | 85,000 yen | 4,000 yen | 12,000 yen | 65,000 yen | 2,000 yen |
| Example of a Household Consisting of a Couple in Their 30s and a Four-Year-Old Child | 161,000 yen | 8,000 yen | 24,000 yen | 125,000 yen | 3,000 yen |
- (*)The figures for each period are rounded and therefore may not match the total.
- (*)The rate of additional benefit payments relative to the previous levels varies depending on the period. (+0.8% from August 2013, +1.6% from April 2014, and +2.4% from April 2015)
- (*)The above amounts are provided as examples for certain household categories. Various additional allowances are not included, and from October 2018 onward, only the year-end temporary assistance payment (paid each December) is applied for the number of months for which payments are made.Therefore, please note that the amounts may be larger than those shown above if various additional allowances were applied, or if, from October 2018 onward, expenses for daily necessities for hospitalized patients and other allowances were applied.
- (*)"Grades" refer to classifications designated for each municipality whereby regional differences are reflected in the standard amounts based on differences in living conditions and lifestyles and are divided into six categories ranging from Grade 1-1 to Grade 3-2.
Process for Payment
- For households currently receiving public assistance (*), additional benefit payments will be provided by the municipality from which they are currently receiving assistance. Therefore, in principle, no application is required.
- Households that are not currently receiving public assistance will receive additional benefit payments from the municipalities where they were receiving assistance at the time. Therefore, the heads of the households at the time are expected to submit applications to those municipalities.
- (*)Households that received public assistance from different municipalities from August 2013 onward are required to submit applications to the municipalities from which they received assistance at that time.
Payment Schedule
The payment schedule varies depending on the readiness of each municipality. Applications from households not currently receiving public assistance are scheduled to be accepted from around summer 2026. Details of the application procedures will be provided in due course.
FAQ
- Q Is there any expected timeline for the payment of additional benefits?
- A As the payment schedule varies depending on the readiness of each municipality, it is not possible to provide a specific payment date. However, payments to those currently receiving public assistance are expected to be made as promptly as possible. Applications from households not currently receiving public assistance are planned to be accepted from around summer 2026, after which payments will be made in accordance with the readiness of each municipality..
- Q I am currently receiving public assistance in City A, but I received it in City B in August 2013 and later in City C. In this case, will additional benefit payments be provided by Cities A, B, and C?
- A Additional benefit payments will be provided by each municipality. Payment from City A will be made without application procedures, but applications must be submitted to Cities B and C.
- Q In 2013, I received public assistance with my parents. However, my father passed away, and now I am receiving assistance with my mother.
- A Deceased individuals are not eligible for additional benefit payments. Therefore, in this case, payments will be made for the two eligible individuals.
- Q I am currently receiving public assistance. Will the additional benefit payment be considered as income?
- A Additional payments will not be considered as income. However, purchases of items that are not permitted to be owned will not be allowed.
- Q Will there be any notification if a decision is made to provide additional benefit payments?
- A Once the payment of additional benefits has been decided, a notification of the decision will be sent to the household head by the municipality.
- Q If no (or only partial) livelihood assistance payment was made for a certain period between August 2013 and March 2026 since I had a regular income from employment or other earnings, will I still be eligible for additional benefit payments?
- A Yes. You are still eligible for the additional benefit payments, even if no (or only partial) livelihood assistance payment was made.
About the Consultation Center
Consultation Center for Additional Benefit Payments Based on the Supreme Court Ruling
(Commissioned Project assigned by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
The Consultation Center responds to inquiries regarding the additional benefit payments and related matters.
If you have any questions or require further information, please contact us at the number below.
Toll-Free Number
(Free of charge)
(Free of charge)
Office Hours / Weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.