Uzbekistan plans to provide one-time financial assistance of UZS 1mn (over $80) to low-income families in November 2026 as part of expanded social support measures during the transition to market-based fuel and energy pricing. The measures are outlined in a draft presidential decree currently open for public discussion.
Under the proposal, assistance will be provided to families included in the Social Registry, as well as those outside the registry whose per capita income does not exceed twice the minimum consumer spending (MCS) threshold, based on assessments by the Mahalla Seven local community support groups. For families living in apartment buildings connected to centralized heating, the eligibility threshold will be twice the MCS in the regions and three times the MCS in Tashkent.
The payments will also cover elderly people living alone and persons with disabilities included in the relevant registry, as well as families caring for orphans or children deprived of parental care. The funds are expected to be transferred to recipients' social or bank cards by November 30, 2026.
The draft decree proposes increasing the income threshold for electricity and natural gas compensation from 1.5 times to twice the MCS level. For coal assistance and support provided through the Sahovat va Ko‘mak Fund, the eligibility threshold will increase from one to two times the MCS. The compensation period for electricity and natural gas will be extended until April 1, 2028, while coal assistance will continue until January 1, 2029.
The government also plans to submit a proposal to continue energy-efficiency improvements for 3,000 state-supported households in neighborhoods classified as challenging. The measures include insulating walls and roofs, installing energy-efficient windows and doors, and introducing solar panels or solar water heaters.
From November 1, 2026, the basic electricity consumption allowance during the heating season will increase from 200 kWh to 350 kWh in areas without access to natural gas or where gas supply is difficult. A separate draft Cabinet of Ministers resolution proposes introducing new tariffs for centralized heating and hot water services from November 1, 2026. Under the proposal, heating tariffs will gradually increase to cost-recovery levels by 2030.
Another draft Cabinet of Ministers resolution proposes setting the retail price of liquefied gas for households at UZS 5,000 per kilogram. The proposed price will remain below the market rate, with the state budget covering the difference between the exchange price and the retail price, as well as delivery costs.mLow-income families will also receive compensation of UZS 3,000 per kilogram of liquefied gas for up to 20 kg per month.
This compensation is proposed to remain in effect until January 1, 2030.