Permensos 8/2026: Five-Year Participation Limit and New Obligations of Beneficiary Families under the Program Keluarga Harapan

Introduction

On 7 August 2026, the Minister of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia enacted Minister of Social Affairs Regulation Number 8 of 2026 on the Family Hope Program (“Permensos 8/2026”), which took effect on 13 August 2026. Permensos 8/2026 regulates the guidelines for implementing the Program Keluarga Harapan (“PKH”), including implementation mechanisms, the rights and obligations of Beneficiary Families (Keluarga Penerima Manfaat or “KPM”), as well as assistance, evaluation, and participant graduation mechanisms, with the aim of improving the quality of life of poor and/or vulnerable families.

Permensos 8/2026 was enacted to optimize the implementation of PKH as a social protection program that is more systematically planned, targeted, and integrated across sectors. Permensos 8/2026 also replaces previous technical provisions concerning the implementation of PKH, which are considered no longer relevant to legal developments and the needs of the community.

In general, Permensos 8/2026 updates the governance of PKH participation, including provisions concerning the rights and obligations of KPM, assistance, evaluation, and graduation mechanisms. These provisions are intended to improve KPM compliance and accountability while promoting economic self-reliance and positive behavioral changes in order to achieve the objectives of PKH.

Comparison

Permensos 8/2026 introduces a number of substantive changes to the provisions governing PKH implementation, including with respect to the participation period, the database used to determine beneficiaries, and additional rights granted to KPM. A comparison between the provisions under Permensos 8/2026 and the previous provisions under Permensos 1/2018 is set out below:

Key Provisions

• Participation Period Limitation and Determining Components

As provided in Articles 4 through 6, PKH participation is intended for poor and/or vulnerable families based on the family welfare ranking that have health and/or education components, with the following criteria:

The participation period of PKH KPM is valid for a maximum period of 5 (five) years, with an exception for PKH KPM who are elderly persons and persons with disabilities. PKH KPM participation may also be terminated based on the results of participation evaluation and/or data updating based on the National Single Social and Economic Data (DTSEN).

• Express Obligations of Beneficiary Families 

Article 9 stipulates a number of obligations that must be fulfilled by PKH KPM as part of their participation in PKH. PKH KPM are required to protect themselves and their families from acts that may adversely affect their health, social life, and economic condition; increase social awareness and social resilience within the community; empower themselves to become self-reliant and improve their level of welfare and participate in efforts to address poverty; and participate in Family Capacity Building Meetings (Pertemuan Peningkatan Kemampuan Keluarga or “P2K2”).

In addition to the foregoing obligations, PKH KPM are required to utilize health facility services for families with pregnant women, children up to 7 (seven) years of age who have not yet attended school, elderly persons, and/or persons with disabilities. PKH KPM with school-age children are also required to utilize education facility services with an attendance rate of at least 85% (eighty-five percent) of the effective school days in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations.

PKH KPM that fail to fulfill such obligations may be issued a warning and/or have their participation terminated. The mechanism for issuing warnings and/or terminating participation shall be determined by the high-level middle-ranking official responsible for PKH.

• Program Keluarga Harapan Implementation Mechanism

Permensos 8/2026 regulates the implementation mechanism for PKH through three main stages, namely determination, distribution of PKH Social Assistance, and assistance. These provisions establish an implementation framework covering the process of determining beneficiaries, the mechanism for distributing assistance, and assistance to ensure the fulfillment of KPM rights and obligations and to encourage PKH KPM to achieve self-reliance.

In summary, the stages of PKH implementation may be described as follows:

 

• Participation Termination Mechanism

Based on Articles 21 through 24, an evaluation of PKH KPM participation is conducted to assess the PKH components, the eligibility of KPM to receive social empowerment programs or other programs, and the achievement of self-reliance by PKH KPM. Evaluations are conducted annually during the participation period, when the participation period is about to expire, and/or where there are reports or public complaints. The results of such evaluations form the basis for recommendations regarding participation status, the provision of access to social empowerment programs or other programs, and/or support for the process of achieving self-reliance by PKH KPM.

Based on the evaluation results, PKH KPM participation may be terminated through Termination or Graduation. Termination applies to PKH KPM that no longer have any PKH components and/or whose participation period has expired. PKH KPM whose participation has been terminated may continue to receive other Social Assistance in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations. Meanwhile, Graduation applies to PKH KPM whose welfare has improved or who no longer fall within the family welfare ranking for recipients of PKH Social Assistance.

The mechanisms for evaluation, termination, and graduation shall subsequently be determined by the high-level middle-ranking official responsible for PKH implementation.

Closing

Permensos 8/2026 introduces a number of important changes to the implementation of PKH by strengthening participation governance, clarifying KPM rights and obligations, and reorganizing the mechanisms for determination, distribution of assistance, assistance, evaluation, termination, and graduation. These provisions demonstrate a shift in the PKH approach, which is no longer oriented solely toward the distribution of social assistance, but also toward improving compliance, behavioral change, empowerment, and the achievement of KPM self-reliance.

With the introduction of a participation period limitation, the use of DTSEN as the basis for determining beneficiaries, and an evaluation mechanism that may result in termination or graduation, Permensos 8/2026 provides a more measurable framework for ensuring that assistance is provided to families that meet the criteria and continue to require support. On the other hand, the obligation of KPM to utilize health and education services and participate in P2K2 reinforces the aspects of empowerment and human resource quality improvement in the implementation of PKH.