Abstract: Objective To improve the effect of subsistence allowance system,and to study the difference of quality of life between people living on minimum subsistence allo wances and of others.Methods Indoor investigation was conducted on 890 people,half of whom were sampled with systematic and cluster sampling from the people living on minimum subsistence allow ances in Xuzhou,and the other half was investigated by contrast with the former half.Results The people investigated were(51.21±14.86)years old,40% of whom were male.By contrast with others,people living on minimum subsistence allow ances had lower level of education,less income,less included in basic medical insur ance system,more danger families,higher unemployment,more chronic diseases,poorer health status,poorer physical strength and so on.Conclusion People living on minimum subsistence allowances were characterized with "three lower and three higher" with worse quality of life by contrast with others.