The law draws no distinction between temporary protection beneficiaries and applicants for and beneficiaries of international protection in relation to social assistance (see Forms and Levels of Material Reception Conditions).
Cash assistance programmes implemented mainly by Türk Kızılay through a dedicated bank card (Kızılaykart), have focused mainly, though not exclusively, on temporary protection beneficiaries. These include the following:
- Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN): The EU-funded ESSN programme was launched on 28 November 2016 by the World Food Programme, Türk Kızılay and the Ministry of Family and Social Services, under the coordination of AFAD.[1] The programme has now been handed over to the DG NEAR from DG ECHO, in line with the EU humanitarian-development-peace nexus approach. Applicants for international protection and temporary protection beneficiaries fall within the scope of this programme.
In the context of the ESSN, the Kızılay Food Card offers a smart card technology developed for people in need to meet all their needs at food stores. International protection applicants who hold a YKN go to the one of the 1,003 Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations of their province of residence or 9 service centres of Türk Kızılay and fill in an application form for a Kızılaykart. After 5-9 weeks, applicants can receive their cards ready to use from the contracted bank.[2]
Eligibility criteria for receiving the ESSN are have a foreigner’s identification number starting with 99, being single women between the ages of 18 and 59, single seniors aged, single parents or single fathers with at least one child under the age of 18, families with one or more disabled individuals with a disability level of 40% or more (disability status must be documented with a disability report to be obtained from the authorized state hospital), families with more than 4 children, families with a large number of dependents (children, elderly, disabled) (this criterion is determined by the proportion of 1.5 or more dependents per healthy adult (18-59 years old) in the family)[3]. A monthly allowance is 500 TL (12.5 €) per family member through the Kızılaykart.[4]
The ESSN scheme is the single largest humanitarian project in the history of the EU. As of May 2025, 2.3 billion EUR were distributed, 995,742 people and 215,606 householders were being reached.[5] Among the beneficiaries of this programme majority (1.1 millions) are Syrians, and other main groups are Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran nationals. As reported from a stakeholder, Ukrainians under international protection have benefitted from ESSN programme.[6]
Considering that the net minimum wage is 17.002 TL[7] (around 485 EUR), the hunger threshold is 19,830 TL and the poverty threshold is 64,595 TL,[8] the monthly payments are far from covering the needs for a dignified life, which is not the main purpose of the programme.
- Complementary Emergency Social Safety Net (C-ESSN): From 2021 this programme has provided additional support for the most vulnerable people receiving ESSN who cannot be referred to livelihood programmes. It supports them to access basic needs. As of May 2025, 334,719 people and 73,116 householders were receiving support, for an amount of 700 TL (17.5 EUR) per month.[9]
- In-Camp Food Assistance Programme: This programme which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development, and implemented in cooperation with Türk Kızılay and the WFP, provides assistance to refugees residing in 6 Temporary Accommodation Centres. People receiving assistance receive e-vouchers for the monthly per capita aid (425 TL /10.5 EUR) that they can use for food and non-food shopping inside the camp via the Kizilay Card. As of May 2025, 31,559 people were benefiting from it.[10] Majority of beneficiaries are Syrians, other top 3 nationalities are Ukraine, Iraq, and Russia.
- Conditional Cash Transfer for Education (CCTE): The EU-funded programme CCTE aims to support refugee families in sending their children to school (see Access to Education) by providing bimonthly payments. The amounts disbursed on a bimonthly basis vary depending on the level of education and gender. The CCTE is being disbursed to 360,293 beneficiaries and 194,354 householders as of May 2025. [11] CCTE has mainly focused on primary school children.[12] It is 90 TL (2.25 EUR) for boys and 100 TL (2.5 EUR) for girls attending kindergarten and primary scool per month and 130 TL (3.25 EUR) for boys and 150 TL (3.75 EUR) per girls attending high school per month.[13]
According to stakeholders, the Accelerated Learning Project (ALP) was discontinued in 2024.[14]
There is a serious gap in the legal regulations of municipalities, which are local government units, for Syrian refugees. Metropolitan Municipality Law No. 5216 and Municipal Law No. 5393 do not contain any financial and technical regulations for the areas of providing services and assistance to refugees. This situation leaves the decision of the municipalities to help and provide services to foreign citizens, especially Syrians, living within their borders, to the initiatives of the municipalities.[15]
[1] European Commission, ‘European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations’, last updated in 2023, available here
[2] ibid.
[3] Multeci-der, SUY, available here.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Kızılaykart, ‘Monthly ESSN Programme Infographics, 2025, available here.
[6] Information provided by a stakeholder, June 2023.
[7] T.C. Çalışma ve Sosyal Güvenlik Bakanlığı | Asgari Ücret, available here.
[8] Türk-İş, Eylül 2024 Açlık ve Yoksulluk Sınırı, 30.09.2024 available here.
[9] Kizilaykart, ‘Monthly C-ESSN Programme Infographics, 2025, available here.
[10] Kızılaykart, Monthly in Camp Programme Infographics, May 2025 available here.
[11] Kızılaykart, Monthly CCTE Project Infographics, May 2025, available here.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Information provided by a stakeholder, May 2025
[15] Akyıldız, Ş., Kenanoğlu, M., Güven, S., Kurt, T., Doğanay, C., Kadkoy, O. for TEPAV (Turkish Economic Policy Research Foundation of Türkiye), Supply and Demand-Side Analysis of Syrians in the Labour Market, February 2021, available in Turkish here. Page 66.