What Assistance is Available for Decile 5 in DTSEN? Explanation and How to Check
Many people are checking their welfare status following the government’s adoption of the National Single Social and Economic Data (DTSEN) as the latest reference for distributing assistance. One of the most frequently asked questions concerns decile position, particularly decile 5, which is seen as ambiguous regarding eligibility for aid.
The term decile refers to the division of society into groups based on welfare levels, from the lowest to the highest. In the context of DTSEN, which replaces DTKS, this division serves as a crucial basis for determining who is prioritised to receive social assistance from the government.
So, can people in decile 5 still receive assistance? If yes, what types of aid might they get, and how can they check their status? Here is a complete explanation.
What is Meant by Decile?
According to the Pocket Book on 0% Extreme Poverty by the Presidential Staff Office, a decile is the ranking of family welfare levels in Indonesia. This term is also known as the family welfare ranking, used to group society based on their economic and social conditions.
Deciles are arranged on a scale of 1 to 10. Decile 1 represents the group with the lowest welfare level (extreme poor), while decile 10 is the group with the highest welfare level. This division helps the government determine priorities for social assistance recipients to make it more targeted.
The determination of deciles is closely linked to data in DTSEN. Assessments are based on various socio-economic variables, such as employment and education conditions, living conditions (including house quality and electricity capacity), and asset ownership. This data is then processed to determine each family’s welfare position on the decile scale.
To better understand the application of deciles in determining government assistance distribution, it is necessary to understand the differences across levels. Here are the details:
Decile 1: Extreme Poor
Decile 2: Poor
Decile 3: Vulnerable to Poverty
Decile 4: Approaching Middle Class
Decile 5: Middle Class
Deciles 6-10: Upper Class
As economic conditions are dynamic, decile updates are carried out periodically by the government. Currently, updates to data in DTSEN are done every three months or quarterly.
These updates are generally conducted ahead of social assistance distributions such as the Family Hope Programme (PKH) or Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT). The aim is to ensure that recipient data remains accurate and aligned with the latest field conditions.
With these routine updates, an individual’s decile position can change at any time. This is often the reason for changes in the list of social assistance recipients, with some newly added and others removed.
What is DTSEN?
DTSEN stands for National Single Social and Economic Data. According to its official website, this single data is compiled based on the mandate of Presidential Instruction No. 4 of 2025, aimed at forming an integrated single data to achieve measurable and sustainable development goals.
Based on the explanation in the Pocket Book on 0% Extreme Poverty by the Presidential Staff Office, the main function of DTSEN is to create a single data set that can be used as a reference for various sectors, including social, education, economy, and others. DTSEN itself is built from three main data sources: DTKS (Integrated Social Welfare Data), Regsosek, and P3KE.
DTSEN is formed as the sole integrated data base used by the government to map the welfare levels of society comprehensively. Unlike DTKS (Integrated Social Welfare Data), which previously only covered poor and vulnerable groups, DTSEN encompasses all layers of Indonesian society. From low-income groups to middle and upper classes, all are included in this data system.
With this broader coverage, DTSEN now replaces DTKS. Its presence is expected to improve the accuracy of social assistance targeting while providing a more detailed and comprehensive picture of society’s socio-economic conditions.
Can Decile 5 in DTSEN Receive Assistance?
In the decile division, people classified in decile 5 are categorised as middle class. This category is indeed not the primary priority for social assistance distribution from the government, especially for programmes like PKH or BPNT.
Nevertheless, this does not mean that decile 5 cannot receive any assistance at all. This group still has opportunities to obtain certain aids, depending on the type of programme and applicable policies. According to the mentioned sources, deciles 1 through 5 still have the potential to be social assistance recipients, one of which is through the PBI (Contribution Assistance Recipients) scheme for health insurance.
However, it should be understood that assistance distribution prioritises groups with the lowest welfare levels, namely decile 1. If quotas remain available, assistance can reach higher deciles gradually. Additionally, recipient determination considers various other factors, such as regional conditions, type of aid distributed, and policies from central or local governments.
What Assistance Can Decile 5 Receive?
Based on information from the DTSEN socialisation document by the Gunungkidul Regency Social Services, Women’s Empowerment, and Child Protection Office and the City Social Services website