Understanding Economic Deciles and Their Link to DTSEN and Social Assistance

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has said that the indicator for decile categories is based on economic surveys and the National Single Socio-Economic Data (DTSEN). “An economic survey is currently being conducted. Previously, specifically for economic deciles, the basis was DTSEN, and now the policy for social assistance (bansos) uses a single data source from DTSEN,” said Coordinating Minister Airlangga at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Jakarta, Thursday (20/8/2026).

He further said that data is dynamic, so it is necessary to wait for the results of the economic survey, which he said is currently being carried out. “The economic survey is now being conducted; later we will see what the data looks like. Data is dynamic in nature. The survey is being carried out,” said Airlangga.

DTSEN itself is a government database containing the social and economic conditions as well as the welfare ranking of the public. The data was formed by combining a number of government databases and then matching them with population data. The data can also be updated periodically so that the recorded conditions of the public are more in line with the latest situation.

Because the socio-economic conditions of the public can change, decile positions are not always permanent. Changes in employment, housing conditions, asset ownership, or other socio-economic factors can affect data updates.

Meanwhile, the government uses social and economic data to determine the targets of various social assistance programmes, or bansos. One term that often appears in this process is decile. Currently, decile data is part of DTSEN. The data is used by the government as one of the bases for determining the targets of social protection programmes.