This year, the Social Fund is processing the unified allowance for families factoring in a number changes that came into effect in January. First and foremost, these changes concern the income affecting welfare entitlement.
For example, the minimum income threshold allowing families to qualify for the unified allowance has been raised in January. Now it stands at 8 minimum wages instead of 4, or RUB 216,744 (8 × RUB 27,093). This is the exact minimum annual income each able-bodied parent shall have to qualify for the allowance.
There are a number of exceptions to this rule, however: being a full-time student under 23, pregnancy, or periods of unemployment can entirely waive the 8 minimum wages requirement or lower the corresponding threshold.
A period of certified unemployment, in particular, is a valid reason for a family member's lack of income. If a parent did not work, for example, for three months, this time will proportionally reduce the minimum income required to meet the allowance conditions, meaning the calculation will be based on 9 months instead of 12, and the minimum income threshold will be RUB 162,558 instead of RUB 216,744 (RUB 216,744 ÷ 12 months × 9 months). Importantly, only official unemployment is factored in for the allowance, meaning the time a person spent looking for a job through an employment center.
Starting this year, pensions are also counted toward the minimum required income The rule works similarly to other valid reasons for lack of income: if any family member is granted an age, disability or loss of breadwinner-related pension, the 8 minimum wages rule will be eased or completely waived for that individual. So, if a pension was paid to one of the parents for 10 months or longer, the 8 minimum wages requirement does not apply, and the lack of income is not considered a violation.
In total, factoring in the new rules, the Social Fund has already assigned the allowance to over a million children under 17 since January. More than 25,000 pregnant women also received their payouts.