Hungary pension updates: Benefit increases and party proposals

In Hungary, disability and rehabilitation benefits are set to increase by 10 percent starting in January. Following previous minimum pension increases, discussions regarding tiered increases for old-age pensions below 146,000 HUF are ongoing.

The Tisza Party has outlined a political program focused on pensioner welfare. Their proposals include maintaining the 13th and 14th month pension payments, introducing a SZÉP card for retirees, and ensuring a monthly minimum of 120,000 HUF for old-age and disability pensions. Other pledges include increasing home care fees by 50 percent, creating 20,000 new places in retirement homes, and implementing more flexible retirement ages.

Regarding private savings, the Hungarian National Bank (MNB) reported that the fee load ratio for voluntary pension funds decreased to 0.66 percent in 2025. This decline is primarily attributed to lower investment and asset management costs, as some portfolios failed to outperform reference indices, resulting in lower success fees paid to managers. Despite a slight rise in operational costs, the sector remains a cost-effective option for long-term retirement savings.