Disabled Elderly Man Removed from PKH and Listed in Decile 10, Yogyakarta Social Agency Responds
A disabled elderly man in Jetis, Yogyakarta, Suwarno (70), has been removed from the Family Hope Programme (PKH) social assistance scheme and is now registered as a member of the decile 10 group. The Yogyakarta Social Agency (Dinsos DIY) has spoken out about Suwarno’s situation.
Head of the Yogyakarta Social Agency Suyarno said Suwarno was removed from PKH because his family card now lists him as a single-person household with no other family members. This refers to Ministry of Social Affairs regulations.
“If it is a single-person household, PKH is automatically stopped. That has been the central government’s policy for quite some time. We cannot intervene regarding the policy,” Suyarno explained when contacted on Friday (28/8/2026).
“The PKH components include the elderly, people with disabilities, schoolchildren, and pregnant women. When an elderly person’s spouse dies, for example, the assistance is automatically stopped. That is the central government’s policy,” he continued.
Regarding Suwarno’s decile status changing to decile 10, Suyarno acknowledged that this is not the Social Agency’s domain. According to him, the Social Agency only handles social assistance matters.
Nevertheless, his office will coordinate to explore the possibility of providing other social assistance besides PKH for Suwarno.
“Regarding the decile, we only carry out monitoring and perhaps inventory problems. But when it comes to policy, we follow the central government,” Suyarno explained.
“As long as the requirements are met, meaning the criteria are fulfilled, it is very possible to receive social assistance. It could be the scheme under the Yogyakarta Social Agency related to elderly social security assistance, if the verification results from social workers and the local government indicate eligibility,” he added.
Previously, Suwarno, a disabled elderly man in Jetis, Yogyakarta, was removed from the PKH social assistance programme. Ironically, he is now registered as a member of the decile 10 group.
Suwarno recounted that he and his late mother had long received PKH assistance. After his mother died in 2019, Suwarno applied for PKH assistance under his own name.
“Frankly, when my mother was enrolled in PKH, there were no decile classifications. Every three months the PKH funds would be disbursed, and we would check at the bank. The three-month amount was only Rp 600,000, meaning Rp 200,000 per month,” Suwarno said when met at his residence on Friday (28/8).
Suwarno managed to obtain PKH in 2025. However, it only lasted for one disbursement. After that, his PKH suddenly stopped without him knowing the exact reason until now.
“My mother died in 2019, but I did not automatically replace her. I had to struggle on my own and apply independently. In 2025 I received it, from January to March, and in April it was immediately cut without any explanation. Even the social worker could not answer when asked,” he said.
Suwarno only recently dared to ask the sub-district office about his stopped PKH. He was shocked to learn that he is recorded as a decile 10 resident.
“I found out about being in decile 10 when I went to inquire at the sub-district office. The sub-district office could not answer. They said only the district office could answer. Then we went to the district office, and they also could not answer,” he explained.
“We went there two weeks ago. They said I am in decile 10, but I did not see the computer myself. That is what the officer said. I am the one affected and I do not know. What is the basis for the decile? And where does the decile start from? Of course I question it,” Suwarno added.