Motherhood is a special stage in life, filled with joy, care and, naturally, some difficulties. It is extremely important for the government to provide all the conditions required to fully cover the women's needs. Social benefits play an important role here, helping mothers feel more confident in their role and build a happy future for their families. In light of the approaching Mother's Day, we talk about the key benefits provided by the Social Fund to support mothers.
Today, women can rely on the Fund's support already when preparing for a new addition to the family. Before the child is born, the mother receives a maternity allowance. For working women, its amount is based on their average earnings. In 2025, expecting mothers can receive up to RUB 794,400, provided there are no birth complications and their maternity leave lasts 140 days. Women who lost their jobs due to their company ceasing operations, receive a maternity allowance at the subsistence rate. The Russian average now is RUB 90,200 for 140 days. Since the year began, the Social Fund has paid maternity allowance to 546,000 women.
This year, support for female undergraduate and postgraduate students preparing to become mothers has grown significantly. Previously, their maternity allowance amounted to the average stipend (around RUB 16,000), but starting September, that amount has increased several times over and is now at the level of the regional subsistence rate. In Krasnodar Territory, for example, pregnant students are now paid RUB 86,600 for 140 days of maternity leave, on Sakhalin – RUB 122,700. By November, nearly two thousand female university students had received maternity allowance at the new, higher rate.
Pregnant mothers in Russia are also eligible for the unified allowance. It amounts to 50%, 75%, or 100% of the working-age adult subsistence rate, depending on the income level of the woman, her spouse and children. Today, the Social Fund pays the allowance to 137,000 pregnant women.
After a baby is born, the Social Fund pays the mother a lump-sum allowance of RUB 26,900. On top of that, the Fund proactively assigns maternity capital to women. This year, it grew to RUB 690,300 for the first child and to RUB 912,200 for the second child, provided the mother has not previously held a certificate.
The capital can be used to purchase housing, pay for children's education or and cover a number of other expenses; families with low income can receive a monthly payout from these funds. The unused remainder of the capital not exceeding RUB 10,000 can be withdrawn as a lump sum. By November, the Social Fund had issued over 582,000 certificates to Russian families, including to 24,600 mothers from Luhansk and Donetsk Republics, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.
During the first 18 months of the baby's life, the mother on maternity leave also receives a monthly allowance. Its amount is based on the woman's average earnings, with the payout being no less than RUB 10,100 and no more than RUB 69,000/month. If a family has two or more children, the Social Fund pays allowance on each of them. Non-working mothers are also eligible for benefits. As of November 1, 1.5 million parents have already received their payouts.
Previously, if a mother returned to work before her child turned eighteen months old, the monthly child care allowance for children under 18 month was terminated for her. Today, even working mothers receive their payouts throughout the entire appointed period, regardless of whether they return to work.
The unified child allowance is another important support tool for mothers today. A woman can receive it for each of her children under 17, provided that the average family income does not go above the subsistence rate. Depending on the family's income, the benefit amount ranges from a half of the child's subsistence rate to the full subsistence rate amount. The unified allowance is currently one of the key benefits for many Russian families. It is now being paid to over 9.6 million children.
Generally, support for Russian families remains a constant point of focus for the government, which is why existing benefits are being periodically expanded and new ones are introduced for mothers with children and pregnant women. Next year, for instance, the restriction on the number of children factored in for pensions for mothers of large families will be lifted. Today, a woman's employment record only counts the time spent caring for four children at most. Pension coefficient assigned for them are also limited.
Starting January, mothers will be able to build pension rights for each child, including the fifth, sixth, and all the subsequent ones. This will not only expand the right for Russian women to retire early, 10 years ahead of the new retirement age (at 50), but will also drive their pension amount up. Their pension will be RUB 2,000/month higher on average.
The law equaling heroic mothers to Heroes of Labor also comes into force in 2026. Heroic mothers are women who raised 10 or more children. They will be entitled to a monthly allowance in the amount of RUB 72,000 (current amount, adjusted annually).
On top of that, starting next year, the Social Fund will begin providing families with children with a new benefit, the family tax payback. This benefit refunds a part of already paid income tax. Provisionally, about 7 million parents will be entitled to the payback.
Today, millions of mothers in Russia receive benefits from the Social Fund. Their amounts grow annually; many benefits are part of national projects. The Fund not only increases the amounts it pays, but also strives to ensure that the benefits reach women at the right time and in a convenient format, without the need to apply for services. In this context, the support for motherhood will continue to be one of the Social Fund's key priorities.