Low-income Single-parent families andGrandparents-grandchildren families are entitled to welfare benefits.
Welfare benefits
- Low-income single-parent families and grandparents-grandchildren families are entitled to welfare benefits. However, in the case where the applicant is receiving support in accordance with other acts such as National Basic Living Security Act, the subsidies in accordance with 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」 cannot be granted in the scope of the other act (Article 12(1) of 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」, Article 13(1) of 「Enforcement Decree of the Single-Parent Family Support Act」, Article 6 of 「Enforcement Rule of the Single-Parent Family Support Act」, and 「2025 Scope of Eligibility for Single-Parent Family Support」).
|
Type of support
|
Subject of support
|
Amount of support
|
|
Childcare expenses
|
Child under 18 of a family whose recognized income does not exceed 63% of the standard median income [however, children under the age of 22 if enrolled in high school (until December of the third year)]
|
Monthly 230,000 won per one child
|
|
Additional childcare expenses
|
Child 5 or younger raised by custodial grandparents or an unmarried single-parent 35 or over with an income less than 63% of the standard median income
|
Monthly 50,000 won per one child
|
|
Children 5 or younger raised by a young single-parent 25 to 34 years old with an income less than 63% of the standard median income
|
Monthly 100,000 won per one child
|
|
Child aged between 6 and 18 raised by a young single-parent 25 to 34 years old with an income less than 63% of the standard median income [however, children under the age of 22 if enrolled in high school (until December of the third year)]
|
Monthly 50,000 won per one child
|
|
Child education support fee (School supply expenses)
|
Middle/high school-attending child of a single-parent family whose recognized income does not exceed 63% of the standard median income)
|
Annually 93,000 won per one child
|
|
Cost of living (supplementary living allowance)
|
Single-parent family in a single-parent family welfare facility whose recognized income does not exceed 63% of the standard median income
|
Monthly 50,000 won per family
|
※ Single-parent families can lend welfare funds. Further details are available on the <Support for Single-Parent Families> on the current website.
Payment of welfare benefits
- The welfarebenefits determined by the application procedures can be granted, starting fromthe month including the reporting date of the benefit. (Article12-5 of theEnforcement Decree of the Single-parent Family Support Act)
Prohibition of seizure of welfare benefits
- No welfarebenefits granted under this Act and entitlement to welfare benefits shall betransferred or provided as a security to any third person, and no one elseshall seize such welfare benefits. (Article 27-(1) of the Single-parent FamilySupport Act)
- The claims fordeposits in accounts for receiving welfare benefits shall not be seized.(Article 27-(2) of the Single-parent Family Support Act)
Penalties for unlawful recipients
- If anyone hasreceived welfare benefits or has allowed any other person to receive welfarebenefits by fraud or other unlawful means (hereinafter referred to as “unlawfulrecipients”), he or she shall be punished by imprisonment with labor for notmore than one year, a fine not exceeding ten million won, misdemeanorimprisonment, or a minor fine. (Article 29-(4) of the Single-parent FamilySupport Act)
- If anyone hasreceived welfare benefits or has allowed any other person to receive welfarebenefits by fraud or other unlawful means, then the supporting agency that haspaid welfare benefits may collect all or part of the benefits from the personwho has received welfare benefits or the person who has allowed another personto receive welfare benefit. (Article 25-2-(1) of the Single-parent FamilySupport Act)
Low-income Single-parent families andGrandparents-grandchildren families are entitled to necessary childcareexpenses.
Childcare expenses
- Children younger than age 14 of low-income single-parent families or grandparents-grandchildren families are granted monthly KRW 230,000 per one child (Subparagraph 4 of Article 12(1) of 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」 and p.168 of 「2025 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」)
- The following cases are excluded from the benefit (Article 12(1) of 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」 and p.169 of 「2025 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」):
· Wheresubsidies for the foster home system are already being received in accordancewith the Child Welfare Act
Additional childcare expenses
- In cases where grandparents with low income and an unmarried single parent aged 35 or older nurture a child aged 5 or younger, KRW 50,000 is granted per child. (Article 12(2) of 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」 and page 172 of 「2025 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」)
· Children aged 5 or younger of a low-income grandparent-headed family or an unmarried single parent aged 35 or older: KRW 50,000 per child per month
· Age calculation for children: based on the date of birth
· Reference date for age: the month before the child's 6th birthday
· Children aged 5 or younger of a single parent aged between 25 and 34
· Children aged 5 or younger: KRW 100,000 per child per month
· Children aged 6 or older and under 18: KRW 50,000 per child per month
- Those in the following circumstances are excluded from eligibility for support (Article 12(1) of 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」 and page 172 of 「2025 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」):
· Children aged 5 or younger of a teen single-parent family (where the mother or father is aged 24 or younger) are excluded (as child-rearing expenses of KRW 370,000–400,000 per month are already provided for children of teen single-parent families)
· Where foster care support allowances are provided under 「Child Welfare Act」
Child Education Support (expenses for school supplies for elementary, middle, and high school students)
- In order to strengthen the support for elementary, middle, and high school students in low-income single-parent families or grandparents-grandchildren families, KRW 93,000 is granted annually per elementary, middle, and high school student in the family (Subparagraph 2 of Article 12(1) of 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」 and page 168 of 「2025 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」).
- Those in the following circumstances are excluded from eligibility for support (Article 12(1) of 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」 and page 173 of 「2025 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」):
· Householdsreceiving education benefits pursuant to the National Basic Living Security Act
· Householdsreceiving education support pursuant to the Emergency Aid and Support Act
Single-parent families residing in welfarefacilities are entitled to support for supplementary living allowance.
Supplementary living allowance forSingle-parent families residing in welfare facilities
- For families residing in single-parent family welfare facilities, ① single-parent families and grandparent-headed families with recognized income at or below 63% of the standard median income, and ② adolescent single-parent families with recognized income at or below 63% of the standard median income are granted a supplementary living allowance of KRW 50,000 a month per household (Article 12(1) of 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」 and page 175 of 「2025 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」).
- Those who fall under the following category are excluded from the support (Article 12(1) of 「Single-Parent Family Support Act」 and p.176 of 「2025 Guidelines for Single-Parent Family Support Project」).
· Recipients oflivelihood benefits pursuant to the National Basic Living Security Act
· Support forliving is already being received in accordance with the Emergency Aid andSupport Act
· Adolescent single-parent households with an income between 63% and 65% of the median income