Peru’s President Keiko Fujimori has announced that the country’s Pension 65 programme will double its bimonthly payment to beneficiaries, raising the subsidy from 350 soles to 700 soles as part of a policy to strengthen protections for elderly people living in extreme poverty.
Fujimori made the announcement during her first address to the nation on the occasion of Fiestas Patrias. She described the increase as part of a state policy called “Cuidando la experiencia,” which she said also aims to move progressively toward a universal pension for that population.
The president did not give a specific date for when the higher payments would begin, saying only that the increase would be rolled out gradually.
Who qualifies
The increase applies to existing beneficiaries of Pension 65, a programme administered by the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion. To qualify, a person must be 65 or older, hold a valid national identity document, be classified as living in extreme poverty under the Sisfoh household registry, and not be receiving any other pension or economic benefit from a public or private entity such as ONP, AFP, or EsSalud.
Fujimori also announced that mobile enrollment brigades would be deployed in rural, Amazonian, high-Andean, and border areas to register additional eligible residents.
Those wishing to enroll must submit Form 1000 and a copy of their identity document at a Pension 65 office or their district municipality. Applicants can check whether they have been accepted through the official platform or the Yachaq Pensión 65 app.
