"A Family of Four Can Receive It If Their Monthly Health Insurance Contributions Are 320,000 Won or Less"... Second Criteria for High Fuel Price Support Payments Released

[The Financial News] For employees enrolled in the health insurance system, a family of four will be eligible for the second round of Financial Assistance for Damages Caused by High Fuel Prices if their combined monthly health insurance contributions are 320,000 won or less. Dual-income households of four will be allowed to receive the payment if their monthly contributions are 390,000 won or less under a relaxed standard.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) announced the second payment plan for Financial Assistance for Damages Caused by High Fuel Prices on the 11th. The government will screen recipients based on the total amount of each household's health insurance contributions as of March 2026. Long-Term Care Insurance Contribution is excluded.
This second round of support will be paid to households in the bottom 70% by health insurance contribution standards. However, even those who meet the health insurance threshold will be excluded if they are considered high-asset households.
The government said it will not provide the payment to households whose combined Property Tax base for 2025 exceeds 1.2 billion won or whose total financial income in 2024 is above 20 million won. It estimated that about 937,000 households, or roughly 2.5 million people, will be excluded.
The health insurance contribution threshold varies depending on the type of enrollment and the number of household members. For single-income employee subscribers, the monthly limit is 130,000 won for one-person households, 140,000 won for two-person households, 260,000 won for three-person households, and 320,000 won for four-person households. The threshold is 390,000 won for five-person households and 430,000 won for six-person households. For regional subscribers, the limit for a family of four is 220,000 won per month.
A separate adjustment applies to multi-income households, including dual-income families. For employee subscribers in a dual-income family of four, the eligible limit is raised from the standard 320,000 won for a four-person household to 390,000 won, the same as the threshold for a five-person household. The government said it took into account that dual-income households could be relatively disadvantaged under a simple combined-contribution standard.
The government also refined the household composition rules. As of March 30, 2026, people listed together in the Resident Registration Record will be treated as one household. Spouses and children who are dependents under the health insurance system will also be recognized as part of the same household, even if they live at different addresses. By contrast, parents and siblings with different addresses will be classified as separate households, even if they are dependents.
The payment amount will vary by region. Residents in the Seoul metropolitan area will receive 100,000 won per person, those in Non-metropolitan areas will get 150,000 won, Depopulation Regions and Preferential Support Areas will receive 200,000 won, and Special Support Areas will receive 250,000 won. A family of four in the Seoul metropolitan area can receive up to 400,000 won, while a family of four in Non-metropolitan areas can receive up to 600,000 won.
Applications will be accepted from the 18th through July 3. Recipients may choose to receive the payment through a credit card, debit card, Local Love Gift Certificate, or prepaid card. The funds must be used by August 31.


spring@fnnews.com Lee Bo-mi Reporter