This section is about money and social safeguards. How much you can receive, what fees you can avoid, what services you can get, and what conditions you must meet are all written here — not converted into years of life. Policies change every year and differ by place, so amounts and thresholds follow what your locality publishes for the current year. Items in this section are grouped by topic below, with item numbers in parentheses. Losing a job: Apply online for unemployment insurance benefits (item 1); get recognized as someone facing employment difficulties (item 12); claim vocational training subsidies (item 13). Unpaid wages: File a complaint with labor inspection first (item 2); apply for legal aid (item 3); when wages are owed, first figure out who hired you (item 22). Emergency relief: Go to a shelter (item 4); apply for temporary assistance (item 6); apply for dibao (item 7); the two disability subsidies (item 8); replace a lost ID card at once (item 11); when you truly have nowhere to sleep (item 21); when you already cannot repay credit cards or online loans (item 23). Medical and social insurance: Do not let resident medical insurance lapse (item 9); for serious illness, use medical insurance and medical assistance first (item 10); do not panic if social insurance contributions are interrupted (item 18); add a medical or critical-illness policy (item 20). Finding work and starting over: Public employment services and gig markets (item 5); use a systematic approach when job hunting (item 14); pay no deposit and surrender no ID (item 15); even after prison or bankruptcy there is a path to start over (item 19). Housing and food: Queue for public rental housing (item 16); cut housing and food to the minimum (item 17).
English, Russian and Spanish use dlgrv’s unofficial translations. Newly revised entries appear in the Chinese original until a checked translation is available. The author’s latest Chinese text is authoritative. Translation revision: dlgrv/HowToLiveBetter · b25fa8a
If your employer and you have paid for a full 1 year, and you did not resign on your own, then after unemployment registration and if you are willing to look for work, you can receive money. With under 5 years of contributions after that full 1 year, you can receive for at most 12 months; with a full 5 years but under 10 years, at most 18 months; with 10 years or more, at most 24 months. While you receive benefits, employee medical insurance is paid for you by unemployment insurance.
Cost
There is no cost. You can submit the application via smart…
Benefit
To qualify you must meet three criteria: (1) your employer and you have each contributed to unemployment insur…
First call 12333 or complain to labor inspection at the human resources and social security bureau; after a case is filed, the investigation finishes within 60 working days. If confirmed, the company can be ordered to pay by a deadline; if it still does not pay, it must add another 50% to 100% as compensation. If that fails, apply for labor arbitration; the case is closed within 45 days. But “case closed” is not “money in hand”: if the company has no assets or the boss has fled, you may win and still get nothing.
Cost
There are no fees for either option. You’ll need to gather…
Benefit
The first step is to complain. Call 12333, or complain to labor inspection at the local human resources and so…
You can apply for free legal aid to recover wages, claim family maintenance, obtain social insurance or minimum-living benefits, claim work-injury compensation, or seek compensation for losses from acts of civic courage. Call 12348 or visit the local legal aid center. You no longer need to return to your place of origin for a financial-hardship certificate; truthfully explain your situation yourself. Defendants who are minors, have visual, hearing or speech disabilities, or may face life imprisonment or the death penalty must be assigned a lawyer if they have not retained one.
Cost
Zero. Legal aid costs nothing for those who receive it.
Benefit
The State Council regulations list six categories of civil legal aid: claims for state compensation under the…
Shelters cover meals and lodging, send you to a hospital if you fall ill, help you contact family, and issue a ticket home if you cannot afford one. Stays generally do not exceed 10 days. Coming and leaving are voluntary — this is not detention, and no cash is handed out. Tickets are issued for the hukou place or the place of residence, so decide where you want to go before you arrive.
Cost
There is no cost. You can go to your local civil affairs b…
Benefit
Shelters supply food and lodging that meet basic hygiene standards. If you suddenly fall seriously ill while t…
Public agencies like employment service centers and human resources markets provide job matching, career guidance, policy advice, and both employment and unemployment registration — all completely free of charge. The law explicitly forbids them from charging for these services. Registering on gig platforms and posting job listings there is also free. Use this same registration to apply for unemployment benefits or to be recognized as someone facing employment difficulties.
Cost
No cost at all. Register at any public employment service…
Benefit
The law guarantees that the following services must be provided at no cost: advice on employment policies;
If a fire, traffic accident, a family member’s sudden serious illness or another emergency temporarily makes basic living unaffordable, apply for temporary assistance at the township government or subdistrict office where it happened. You need not already receive minimum-living assistance. Emergency cases are generally processed within 3 days, with up to 1 month of the minimum-living benefit standard. For hardship households receiving minimum-living benefits or near that threshold whose medical or schooling expenses surge, the maximum is 6 months of that standard.
Cost
Free of charge. Apply to the township government or subdis…
Benefit
Two kinds of households can receive temporary assistance. One is households that, because of accidents, a fami…
If household per-person income is below the local dibao line and assets also meet the rules, you can apply. At the end of 2024, the national urban dibao line averaged 798.1 yuan per person per month, and the rural line 593.9 yuan. Money is paid as the gap, or in fixed tiers. If income is a bit above the dibao line, or medical and schooling costs are too high, you may still apply for medical, schooling, and housing assistance even without dibao.
Cost
No money spent. Household members who live together submit…
Disabled persons in dibao households can receive a living subsidy. Those rated disability level 1 or 2 who also need long-term care can receive a care subsidy; both can be received at the same time. Standards are set by each province and differ a lot — ask the subdistrict for the local figure. Bring a second-generation disability certificate and apply once at the subdistrict or township.
Cost
There is no cost. Simply bring your disability certificate…
Benefit
The State Council has established these two subsidies. The first is the Living Subsidy for Disabled Persons in…
Individuals pay from 400 yuan a year; in 2025 finance adds no less than 700 yuan per person. Extremely poor persons get full funding; dibao recipients get a fixed subsidy. Lapsing has a cost: if you did not enroll in the concentrated window, or did not keep continuous payments, after you pay there are 3 months when medical care is not reimbursed, and each extra year interrupted adds another 1 month in principle.
Cost
Each individual must pay at least 400 yuan per year. This…
Benefit
Besides the individual share, finance adds a further amount per person. In 2024 it was no less than 670 yuan.…
The order is fixed: before cross-province hospitalization, register in the “National Healthcare Security Administration” official account; settle directly at discharge without advancing the full bill first. If after reimbursement you still cannot pay, apply for medical assistance at the township or subdistrict. If employed, you have a medical treatment period of 3 to 24 months by length of service; the company cannot dismiss you during that time. Do not touch online loans or high-interest private borrowing.
Cost
There is no expense involved. The steps must be followed i…
Benefit
The state bundles basic medical insurance, critical-illness insurance, and medical assistance as the “triple s…
For standard replacements, the new ID card is issued within 60 days from the date you submit the application. If you need it right away, you can also request a temporary ID card on the spot; it is delivered within three days and remains valid for three months.
Cost
There is a statutory fee for issuing ID cards. The exact a…
Benefit
Once you submit the application form for a resident ID card, authorities must issue the card within 60 days. D…
Once recognized, paying social insurance yourself qualifies for a subsidy, in principle no more than two-thirds of what you actually pay, for at most 3 years. If a unit hires you or you are placed in a public-welfare post, that unit’s share of social insurance is also subsidized. Subsidies for public-welfare posts refer to the local minimum wage; the pay is modest but includes social insurance, so they suit a transition. Social insurance subsidies are often paid after you contribute, so you must advance the money first.
Cost
There is no cost involved. You simply apply for recognitio…
Benefit
After receiving this recognition, individuals who are unemployed and pay social insurance on their own (classi…
Complete training and obtain the required certificate, and you get a vocational training subsidy — at most 3 times per person. College graduates who have not found work within two years of graduation, and unemployed youth aged 16 to 24, may join employment internships and receive a basic living allowance during the internship. First check the “vocational training subsidy directory” on the local human resources and social security bureau site; do not pay for a course yourself.
Cost
There is no direct cost. However, the training itself take…
Benefit
According to regulations issued by the Ministry of Finance and the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau,…
People who have participated in job search counseling are significantly more likely to find a job than those who have not participated. What works is these pieces: learn concrete job-seeking skills, explain yourself clearly, set clear goals, take the initiative, and ask others for help.
Cost
There’s no monetary cost. You’ll need to spend 1–2 hours e…
Benefit
A combined analysis of 47 controlled studies on job-hunting coaching — all of which used experimental or quasi…
Employers are not allowed to keep your ID or other documents, nor demand any deposits or payments under any pretext. Violators must return all money and face fines ranging from 500 to 2000 yuan per person. If a job placement fails, recruitment agencies must refund any fees paid. “Training loans” that require upfront payment for training, as well as pyramid schemes that pay out based on recruiting new members, are both officially flagged as scams. For private loans, any interest exceeding four times the one‑year LPR is not enforceable by courts, though the principal must still be repaid.
Cost
Zero expense. If an employer or recruiter suggests “pay fi…
Benefit
Companies cannot retain your ID or other documents, cannot ask for guarantors, and cannot demand payments unde…
You must meet three criteria simultaneously: you must have no housing locally, or your living space must fall below the required standard; your income and assets must also be below the set limits; and migrant workers must have held steady employment locally for a minimum period as stipulated. The exact waiting queue period is announced by local authorities. This is a long-term solution that won’t provide immediate relief, but signing up costs nothing, and the earlier you apply, the sooner you may be called.
Cost
There is no fee to apply. You must submit documents to the…
Benefit
Those who satisfy all three conditions are eligible to apply. First, they must have no housing locally or live…
In 2025, food accounted for 29.3% and housing for 21.7% of average national per‑person spending — together they make up over half of total expenses, so cutting these two categories yields the biggest savings. Based on the author’s experience, monthly rent for shared housing is cheaper than daily rentals, and cooking at home is less costly than ordering food. When job hunting, ask whether housing and meals are provided; such positions effectively eliminate these major expenses.
Cost
Finding a place to live takes 1–3 days. The security depos…
Benefit
In 2025, the average annual per‑person expenditure nationwide was 29,476 yuan. Of this amount, 8,631 yuan went…
Pension is counted by cumulative years, not continuous years; an interruption does not clear the count. At retirement age, a cumulative full 15 years is enough for monthly payments. For employee medical insurance, once the required years are met you need not pay after retirement; the years differ by place. What a lapse affects are two things: after resident medical insurance is restarted there is a stretch when care is not reimbursed, and local home purchase, hukou, and points schemes often require continuous contributions. Starting in 2030, the employee pension minimum contribution period gradually rises to 20 years.
Cost
No cost at all. Residents can pay for pension and medical…
Benefit
Basic pension is calculated from the total years of contribution;
Former inmates cannot be discriminated against regarding employment, education, or social insurance; the government must provide support to those in need. If a person was under 18 at the time of the crime and received a sentence of five years or less, their record is sealed, so they need not disclose it when joining the military or applying for jobs. The blacklist stays active for two years; once debts are paid, courts must remove the name within three working days. Adults, however, cannot have their criminal records sealed and must disclose them when enlisting or seeking employment.
Cost
There are no processing fees. Former inmates must register…
Benefit
Persons released after serving a sentence enjoy equal rights with other citizens by law and must not be discri…
This kind of insurance covers the part you still pay after medical insurance reimbursement, plus losses from stopping work. Before buying, look for the words “guaranteed renewal”: without them, next year the product may be withdrawn or the price raised. Health status must be disclosed truthfully; concealment can lead to a denied claim. Pay basic medical insurance first, then consider this item.
Cost
For young people, a one‑year expense‑reimbursement medical…
Benefit
Regulatory authorities classify such products into two main types. Medical insurance reimburses you for actual…
Airport and railway waiting areas can get you through one night, with toilets and power outlets, but there are no official data establishing their safety. Relief shelters have staff on duty 24 hours a day and provide assistance first even if you arrive at night. Some places open temporary cold-weather shelters in winter. Patrol staff can also provide food and warm clothing to people who do not want to enter a shelter.
Cost
Waiting areas at airports and train stations are usually f…
Benefit
A venue open 24 hours can get you through a night, with toilets and phone charging. There are no official figu…
A workshop or store without a license can still be reported to labor inspection and taken to labor arbitration; the owner can be held personally liable. If a labor subcontractor on a construction site owes wages, the general contractor or project owner must pay. Only when you work for a household or individual as a private helper — for example as a nanny — is it not a labor dispute; you must sue in court.
Cost
No cost. First clarify three things: whether the other par…
Benefit
Article 2 of the Labor Contract Law (劳动合同法) defines employing units as enterprises, individual economic organi…
If you cannot repay a credit card but are still willing to, you can negotiate a personalized installment with the bank for up to 5 years; once the agreement is signed the bank must stop collection. But the bank may refuse, and overdue records already on the credit report stay. Intermediaries who charge to “freeze interest” or “clean the credit report” have been specifically flagged by regulators — do not use them.
Cost
No money spent. Call the official customer service number…
Benefit
For credit cards there are express rules. When debt exceeds your repayment capacity and you are still willing…
