From July 1, pensions increase according to the "Swiss rule", but without the COVID supplement

From July 1, 2026, Bulgarian pensioners will no longer receive the additional amount of 30.68 EUR, known as the "COVID supplement". The National Social Security Institute (NSSI) announced that this amount is definitively excluded from the size of all pensions related to labor activity. Thus, the temporary anti-crisis payment, introduced in the years of the pandemic, officially remains in the past.

Updating according to the "Swiss rule" for all pensions by the end of 2025
From the same date – July 1, 2026 – the annual updating of pensions according to the so-called "Swiss rule" comes into force. This year, the increase coefficient is 7.8% and covers all persons who were granted a labor pension by December 31, 2025. In practice, this means that the base amount of each such pension increases by 7.8%, regardless of the type of labor pension.

The so-called "widow supplements" are also increased by the same percentage – the amounts received by pensioners who are entitled to a portion of the pension of their deceased spouse. This ensures a proportional increase for this group as well, which is often among the most vulnerable.

Higher minimum amount for length of service and old-age pension
From July 1, 2026, the "minimum amount of the base pension for length of service and old age" is also updated by 7.8%. Thus, it increases from 322.37 EUR to "347.51 EUR". The increase is not limited to this type of pension – all "derived minimum amounts" related to it are also adjusted upwards.

This includes:

- minimum amounts of pensions for length of service and old age with incomplete insurance record;
- minimum disability pensions;
- minimum survivor's pensions;
- other labor pensions whose minimum is linked to the base pension for length of service and old age.

In this way, the increase extends to a wide group of pensioners with lower incomes.

The social old-age pension also grows
The "social old-age pension" is also subject to an increase of 7.8% from July 1, 2026. By a decree of the Council of Ministers, it is set at "183.81 EUR", and its upward adjustment will positively affect a number of other pensions and supplements that are calculated as a percentage of it.

Linked to the social old-age pension are, for example, disability pensions due to general illness, some types of survivor's pensions, and additional payments for people with low incomes. Therefore, the increase in this base amount has a wider effect than the purely nominal sum.

Payment of maternity and unemployment benefits in July
The NSSI informs that on "July 2" cash benefits will be paid for:

- "pregnancy and childbirth";
- "child rearing up to 2 years of age";
- "adoption of a child up to 5 years of age" – for the previous month of June.

Cash unemployment benefits for this month will be paid on "July 15" (Wednesday). This is the date on which those entitled will be able to count on the amounts being transferred to the respective accounts.

Schedule for pension payments in July
Payment of pensions through post offices in July will take place in the period from "July 7" (Tuesday) to "July 20" (Monday) inclusive. Pensioners who receive their pensions via bank transfer will have the funds in their accounts as early as "July 7", Tuesday.

Thus, the beginning of July 2026 brings both an end to the extraordinary "COVID supplement" and a real increase in regular pensions according to the established mechanism. Although some pensioners may feel the absence of the fixed supplement, the 7.8% update and the increase in minimum and social pensions aim to at least partially compensate for the rising cost of living and improve the predictability of their incomes in the long term.