Starting this year, an experiment on voluntary insurance for self-employed individuals against temporary disability has begun in Russia. Under this program, payers of the professional income tax will be entitled to a paid sick leave. In the first three weeks of January, 5,600 self-employed individuals registered for the program with the Social Fund.
Last year, the Social Fund provided 1,400 victims of workplace incidents with specialized cars. The vehicles are outfitted with specialized control systems to fit each driver's needs.
The supplement is granted to retirees who have reached the age of 80, as well as to individuals of disability group I. In January, the supplement was adjusted along with pensions by 7.6%.
The allowance was increased in January and is available to students of higher education institutions, organizations for additional vocational training, and scientific organizations.
In the course of its working visit to Smolensk Region, Sergey Chirkov, Chairman of the Social Fund, signed a cooperation agreement with Governor Vasily Anokhin. The document defines new stages of joint work in key areas, including the development of the pension and welfare systems in the region.
The Social Fund is preparing citizens for pension assignment in advance. Last year, record clarifications affected more than 1.5 million people who reach the age retirement in 2026.
The Social Fund will automatically increase all assigned payouts to be adjusted next month and remit the already adjusted amounts. Russians won't need to petition anyone or submit any applications. According to the draft resolution of the Russian Government, the adjustment will be 5.6% up from February 1.
Retirees, parents of large families and disabled people can get services using a QR code: a digital counterpart of paper and plastic IDs that confirms the holder's eligible status and welfare entitlements. 4.8 million people use QR codes today.
Such a benefit is granted to holders of the Resident of Leningrad under Siege badge who have disabilities. In October of last year, the honorary status started to be awarded to those who survived the siege of the Northern Capital during the Great Patriotic War under a simplified procedure, without accounting the duration of their stay in the besieged city. Thanks to that, even more individuals became entitled to various benefits, including more than a thousand war veterans for whom the Social Fund assigned an additional pension.
Retirees who have worked or live in the North are entitled to a higher pension. Having a northern employment record also allows for early retirement, while living in harsh climatic conditions entitles retirees to social welfare. 5.6 million retirees today have been assigned higher pensions with northern entitlements.