What is included in the cost of living in 2021 and why is it needed at all?

Monthly payment for the first or second child

Conditions: family income is no more than one and a half (from 2021 - two) regional subsistence minimum per person.
How much will they pay: one subsistence minimum per child for three years. They are guided by the amount that was established in the region for the second quarter of the previous year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytadvertiseru

Since 2021, families with children will receive a new benefit - the so-called Putin payments. They are paid subject to two conditions:

1. First or second child born or adopted since 2021. There are no payments for the third one.
2. Over the past 12 months, each family member has accounted for no more than one and a half living wages in the region. From 2021, the income limit will be increased to two regional subsistence levels.

So far, benefits are paid for up to one and a half years, but from 2021 payments will be up to three years. Every month a family will be able to receive one subsistence minimum per child - and so on for three years. Provided that the average per capita income will be less than one and a half or two subsistence minimums in the region - for comparison, take data for the second quarter of the previous year.

Take yours from the state!

We tell you how to receive deductions, benefits and allowances in our newsletter twice a week.

It doesn’t matter whether the mother works or sits with the child, payments will still be assigned to her. For the first child they will be paid from the budget, for the second they will be deducted from the maternity capital. You can spend it anywhere, you don’t have to report.

But compensation payments up to three years in the amount of 50 rubles will be canceled from 2021. They were not dependent on income anyway, but now they will not be accrued at all. True, some families will retain the right to them for now.

What is a living wage?

The concept of a living wage (LM) is given in the Federal Law of October 24, 1997 No. 134-FZ (hereinafter referred to as the Law). This is the size of the consumer basket translated into value, including all necessary fees and mandatory payments.

Expert opinion

Gusev Pyotr Fedorovich

Practicing lawyer with 10 years of experience. Specialization: criminal law. More than 3 years of experience in developing legal documentation.

The needs of different age categories of people vary significantly. Therefore, the cost of living is calculated for the following population groups:

• for minor citizens (children from birth to 15 years);
• working-age population (from 16 years of age to the age that gives the right to establish an old-age insurance pension);
• persons of retirement age (for women - from 60 years old, for men - from 65 years old).

The average cost of living per person (average per capita) is also calculated.

Subsidy for housing and communal services

Conditions: family expenses on housing and communal services - 22% of income. In some regions it is less.

We invite you to read: Alimony and the cost of living

How much will they pay: up to 100% for utilities for 6 months.

If a family has a low income and pays too much for utilities, the state will reimburse part of the costs. The federal cost standard is 22% of income. But regions can reduce it.

For example, in St. Petersburg, families who spend 14% of their income on utility bills receive a subsidy. At the same time, the income of all family members who live with the owner of the apartment is taken into account. The area of ​​housing also matters: compensation is not paid for any apartment, but only for the standard. If there are three people in a Moscow family, they will receive a subsidy only for 54 m2 (18 m2 per person), even if they live in an apartment with an area of ​​80 m2.

Formally, in order to receive a subsidy, you need to pay off your utility bills. But the court ruled this condition illegal in some cases, and from 2021 it will be abolished. Only a court-ordered debt will interfere, provided that it is no more than three years old. But for now they still require a certificate of no debt.

The subsidy is assigned for six months, and then you need to collect documents again and submit an application.

Why do we need a living wage?

The amount of the subsistence minimum is the so-called poverty line: if a person has a monthly income below the subsistence level, then he is considered low-income. They also focus on the subsistence minimum when paying pensions and social benefits. Since February 2021, the government has equated the minimum wage to the subsistence level.

In addition, the indicator is calculated separately for each region, based on local prices. For example, in the northern regions, products are much more expensive than in Central Russia or the south of the country. In Mordovia, the cost of living is 9,132 RUR, and in Chukotka – 22,273 RUR.

The concept of a living wage

The cost amount characterizing the minimum package of goods necessary for the life of the human body is called the subsistence minimum (LM). It is determined quarterly by government decree, taking into account the federal budget for the current period. The regulatory normative act for 2021 is Federal Law No. 380 of December 2, 2019 .

The required package of goods is called the consumer basket (PC). It includes the minimum set of food products and services necessary to maintain human life for one month.

The qualitative and quantitative composition of the PC is regulated by Federal Law No. 227 of December 3, 2012 . According to the law, per pensioner:

Attention, if you have any questions, you can ask them to a lawyer on social issues by calling 8 804 333 16 88 or ask your question in a chat to the lawyer on duty. Calls are accepted 24 hours a day. The call is free! Call and solve your problem!

When calculating the cost of these products, information materials from the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection are used (letter No. 11-1/10/2-1917 dated 04/09/13). After calculating the value, an equal price indicator is added, assigned to the citizen for the purchase of necessary non-food goods and services. The totality of these cost parameters is the PM. In 2021, the size and components of the basket should be reviewed.

Size and purpose of the living wage

As of February, the cost of living in 2021 for pensioners in the Russian Federation as a whole is 9,311 rubles . Compared to last year, the figure has increased

for
465 rubles .
At the moment, the size of the PM has been approved in the following value:

• In Russia as a whole – 10,609 rubles .
• For able-bodied citizens – 11,510 rubles .
• For children – 10,383 rubles .
• For pensioners – 9,311 rubles .

These indicators are not a guideline for establishing additional payments or other support measures. These numbers are for informational purposes and reflect the real situation for the previous quarter.

The cost of living in Russia is used to determine the minimum payment to pensioners. If the pension amount is below the minimum monthly wage, the citizen is entitled to an additional payment. It allows you to set a pensioner’s income at the subsistence level. You can calculate the social supplement by deducting the amount of the pension from the minimum wage determined in the region.

Registration of the increase takes place at the Pension Fund or MFC at the address of residence. A written application (you can view and download it here: [sample application]). You need to have with you: a passport and a document confirming all types of income.

Regional cost of living

Basic values ​​determined for calculating the size of the PM are established at both the federal and regional levels. The amount used in individual regions of the Federation may differ up or down. The difference arises due to the unequal cost of food products included in the PC.

How much is the considered indicator for pensioners by region:

Minimum pension from 2021

Previously, the size of the minimum pension depended on the pensioner's subsistence level (PLS). The last criterion is established at the federal and regional levels. If the actual payment to a pensioner is less than a certain PMP, the citizen was entitled to an additional payment. That is, in fact, the minimum pension from January 1, 2021 corresponded to the amount of the subsistence minimum established in Russia.

But in April, the president signed Federal Law No. 49 dated April 1, 2019 , according to which the procedure for calculating the social allowance to the PM level is changed. Now, before carrying out planned indexation, pensions will first be brought to the subsistence level, and only then will they be increased by a set percentage. Therefore, the minimum pension in 2019 will exceed the size of the PMP by the indexation amount.

Conclusion

The cost value of the consumer basket is called the cost of living . It depends on the state of the federal budget. Main conclusions:

1. The PM is established by the government based on information received from the Ministry of Labor and Rosstat.
2. Regions determine their subsistence minimum depending on local prices for goods included in the consumer basket.
3. The level of a regional indicator from the federal one may differ either up or down.
4. PM is used to calculate the amount of monetary allowance for an unemployed person registered with an employment center, and for a pensioner in terms of determining the amount of social supplement.
5. In the country as a whole, the considered indicator for pensioners in 2021 is equal to 9,311 rubles .

List of laws

• Federal Law No. 362 dated December 5, 2017;
• Federal Law No. 227 dated December 3, 2012;
• letter No. 11-1/10/2-1917 dated 04/09/13.

Samples of applications and forms

You will need the following sample documents:

• sample application for social benefits

Social scholarship

Conditions: the family is recognized as low-income.

How much will they pay: the amount of payment depends on the region of residence and the situation.

If a family's average per capita income is less than the subsistence level, it is considered low-income and can count on government assistance. This could be cash payments, food, medicine or free services.

State social assistance can be received under a social contract - then the state does not just allocate money, but helps to find a way that will solve a specific financial problem. According to the social contract, you need to report: if you gave money for a cow or for education, you will have to prove that you really bought the cow and did not skip classes.

They will also help those who have become disabled or lost their jobs. In the Moscow region, the amount of such assistance is limited to 60,000 R per year. In the Irkutsk region, up to 40,000 RUR will be reimbursed for expensive treatment, and if property is lost, the family will receive up to 20,000 RUR.

You can apply for benefits at the MFC or social security.

Conditions: full-time student from a low-income family.

How much will they pay: from 2227 R per month.

If a family is officially recognized as low-income and there are students in it, they have the right to receive a social scholarship. She is appointed for one year based on a certificate from social security or the MFC - the document must be taken to the dean's office.

In addition to the regular social scholarship, there is also an increased one. It is paid to first and second year students if they study well and pass exams on time. The increased social stipend is equal to the cost of living for the fourth quarter of the previous year. A good student from a family with a small income will be able to receive more than 10 thousand rubles a month.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with: What documents are needed to enter into an inheritance after death, what documents are needed to register an inheritance with a notary

Correspondence to reality

Using this method, it turns out that if a kilogram of sugar costs 40 rubles, then a kilogram of sweets costs 30 rubles. Bread, pasta and cereals are converted to flour, dairy products - to milk. A kilogram of cottage cheese, according to the Rosstat method, is four kilograms of milk, and a kilogram of rice or buckwheat is equivalent to a kilogram of flour. And it is not clear what kind of flour and milk are taken as the basis for the calculation.

At the same time, Rosstat is the only structure in the country that conducts such large-scale monitoring of prices - both by the number of goods and by geography. Calculating the cost of living is also the prerogative of state statistics. But it’s up to you to believe or not to believe official statistics.

If you are from the media and want to link to this material, please provide an active link to this page. We will be pleased, and you will be at peace.

Supplement to pension

Conditions: pension is less than the subsistence minimum.

We suggest you read: How long before we notify employees about changes in salary payment days

How much will they pay: enough to “reach” the subsistence level in the region.

Sometimes the pension may be less than the subsistence minimum. To make it equal to the cost of living, pensioners are paid extra in addition to what is accrued based on their length of service and points.

This type of state support is called a social supplement to pensions. Pensioners receive it from the federal or regional budget. For example, if a pensioner was awarded 8,500 RUR, and the cost of living in the region is 10,500 RUR, then he will be paid an additional 2,000 RUR every month.

To receive a social supplement, you need to submit an application to the Pension Fund or Social Security. Starting from 2021, pensioners will first have their accrued pension indexed, and then the amount of additional payment will be calculated on top. That is, indexation is not included in the surcharge, as it was before.

How does the minimum size differ in regions?

Since the subjects of the federation have the right to determine the amount of the minimum independently, the size of the minimum may differ from region to region. Here are some examples:

• As of 2021, in Russia the government has determined that no pensioner should receive a pension lower than 8,703 rubles. This figure is a basic guideline for the regions.
• The cost of living for a pensioner in Moscow is higher than the national average and amounts to 11,816 rubles. This is due to the special economic situation of the city and higher utility tariffs.
• The largest minimum pension payments are established for regions belonging to the Far North and Far East. So, in Murmansk a pensioner should receive almost 13 thousand rubles, in Magadan - 15.5 thousand rubles, and in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug - 19 thousand rubles.
• Despite the status of the “Northern Capital”, the cost of living in St. Petersburg for pensioners does not differ from that established in the Leningrad region and is equal to the all-Russian value.

You can find out the exact cost of living established for each region on the website of the regional government or the Pension Fund in the region.