Since July 1, 2026, a new fully digital system for assessing vulnerability has been implemented in Armenia, intended to simplify the process of obtaining social assistance and benefits. However, for thousands of citizens, it has become a headache.
The requirement for smartphones, email, and printing devices, along with the refusal of territorial centers of the Unified Social Service to assist citizens on-site, has created a market for "shadow services" where vulnerable individuals are forced to pay to fill out their applications.
Recently, a friend approached me with a stack of papers and asked me to register a family member with a disability on the "social protection website" and then write a "benefit" application for him.
Prior to that, he had visited the territorial center of the Unified Social Service (USC) to apply for a vulnerability benefit for his family. The service staff informed him that they no longer had the right to do this on-site, and the citizen must fill out the vulnerability assessment application independently.
They provided a sheet detailing the steps for filling out the application. It seemed straightforward: follow the instructions on the sheet and fill it out quickly. In reality, it requires skills that are particularly difficult for the elderly and individuals with disabilities to master.
First, to perform any online action, a citizen must have a mobile phone or computer, as well as internet access.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, led by Arsen Torosyan, which aims to become the Ministry of Labor and Welfare, is confident that all citizens applying for vulnerability benefits or other assistance have a computer, smartphone, or internet access.
Assuming they do. To receive support through the vulnerability assessment system, one must apply online via id.e-social.am.
To register, a citizen without an electronic signature and unable to log in that way must have a phone number, email, and fill in their social security number. Registration is confirmed via email.
Let’s also assume that citizens applying for vulnerability benefits or other social assistance have email, successfully register in the system, and obtain their so-called "personal page" (individual account) or do this via electronic signature. However, we cannot rule out that there may be people among them who cannot perform basic online actions and find themselves in a dead end at the registration and login stage.
In case of obstacles or any unclear issues, when trying to contact the Unified Social Service (USC) or any ministry phone number, calls often go unanswered.
As a result, citizens are forced to resort to private services, which charge fees for filling out applications — from 5,000 to 10,000 drams. This is nothing more than a "poverty tax" that has arisen due to the inaction of USC centers and directed refusals.
The NGO demands the restoration of the possibility of accepting paper applications.
