Attitude towards older people, children and other socially vulnerable members of our society, including the level of pension payments, is an important component of the economic, social and cultural development of the state. The higher this indicator, the more prosperous and stable it is considered. Each country tries to resolve the issues of pension provision in a timely manner and, in accordance with the current situation, forms the necessary system of bodies, laws and by-laws.
The domestic pension system in the form in which it exists today was formed in 2015 as a combination of legal norms, state bodies and private structures.
According to statistics from 2017, there are more than forty million citizens in the country receiving pensions, the vast majority of whom are not impressive in size, so the government is trying to index payments as much as possible, as well as establish various kinds of allowances. Consider what is the cost of living for pensioners.
Pension and other social benefits
The pension payments established in our country include:
- insurance pension;
- state retirement pension;
- funded pension.
Since the beginning of 2010, the size of social payments paid in the country has been determined if the amount of the pension does not correspond to the minimum cost of living in this region. All unemployed pensioners who are registered in the territory of residence have the right to apply to the PFR office with an application for the payment of this money. Their goal is to reduce poverty among socially disadvantaged segments of the population receiving various types of pension payments (for disability, for example). About what is the minimum cost of living, we will discuss further.
Living wage defined for citizens receiving retirement benefits
The formation of a certain minimum set for citizens receiving a pension and defined as “subsistence” is a derivative of the totality of certain indicators and varies significantly in different regions of our country.
This figure (by the way, rather conditional) is determined by employees of local authorities, bearing in mind when calculating the cost and statistical indicators characterizing changes in prices for food and essential goods. Simply put, we are talking about the cost of that set of products, goods and services, which we call the “consumer basket”. The possibility of filling it with goods from the mandatory list is taken into account, since it is believed that the proposed list is sufficient for the normal life of an average person.
The level of the living wage causes heated discussions among officials and public figures, but in addition, it is a basic indicator for calculating all social payments and benefits.
To assess the standard of living in the country as a whole and formulate a budget, a living wage is also used. It is installed per capita and differs for different categories of citizens:
- able-bodied citizens;
- children;
- persons of retirement age.
The average cost of living for pensioners in Russia ranges from 8 to 8.5 thousand rubles.Accordingly, pension benefits will also be different, depending on the region of residence. This indicator reaches the highest level in Moscow, Magadan, Kamchatka and Chukotka. The lowest living wage of a pensioner in the regions located in the central zone of Russia is in the Kostroma, Kursk and Tambov regions.
Who can get a supplement?
Let us make a reservation once again that all unemployed citizens who are entitled to receive a pension are entitled to receive the surcharge mentioned above if their financial support does not meet the minimum subsistence level determined at the time of application.
When the amount of monthly maintenance is below the minimum established in the area, and the regional minimum subsistence level for pensioners does not reach the national average, the payment will be considered federal. But it also happens that the living wage of an elderly citizen in the territory of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation is higher than the same figure for Russia. In this case, the payment will be considered regional.
Let's see what kind of social supplement to the level of a living wage of a pensioner is provided?
How the amount of surcharge is calculated
The size of this social payment is calculated based on certain criteria:
- The first, so to speak, basic indicator is the level of the living wage, which is determined for Russia, as well as for a specific locality of residence separately.
- Then, the duration of residence of pensioners in the territory of this subject is taken into account.
- And, of course, the total monthly income of a citizen is considered. Recalculation of payment is made taking into account the size of the federal and regional living wage.
The surcharge will be charged the next month after contacting the Pension Fund branch, from the first day.
Supplement oriented at federal level indicators
The payment is calculated and assigned if the local social security authorities determine that the monthly income of the pensioner is insufficient relative to the subsistence minimum established for the pensioners in the region, and also does not reach the indicators indicated throughout the country. Subject to these two conditions, employees of the PFR department assign payment in accordance with federal indicators.
The amount of this payment should be set so that when calculating the total monthly income (taking into account the surcharge), it does not fall below the level defined for citizens receiving a pension in your area as the minimum. These provisions are specified in more detail in Law No. 178-FZ of August 17, 1999, On State Social Assistance.
A frequent question is, what is the cost of living for non-working pensioners?
Regionally oriented co-pay
Payment by citizens of retirement age is possible if their monthly income is higher than the minimum subsistence level of pension provision established in the country as a whole, but lower than that determined in the locality. All these calculations need to be done, bearing in mind the numerical indicators in force at the time of application.
The minimum cost of living, determined for pensioners in Moscow, is indicated in 2017 as 11 561 rubles. And the all-Russian indicator is slightly lower - 8 540 rubles. Therefore, with a smaller monthly income of the applicant, the amount of payment will be calculated in the amount necessary to achieve indicators relevant to the whole country.
In general, it is not important for a specific pensioner whether the federal allowance is regional or what, and which authority will pay it, since the difference in this case concerns exclusively funding sources.
What does the calculation of the total amount of material support consist of?
The total amount of material support for this category of citizens is calculated by adding up all the amounts that are included in the subsistence level of a pensioner. The total result of adding up all payments received by a citizen is used, including:
- pensions of all categories (military is also meant here);
- additional monthly allowances or subsidies (for disability, Chernobyl victims, etc.);
- other payments designated as measures of social support paid in the form of cash.
Also, the total calculation includes the cost equivalent of the provided social benefits, such as:
- telephone charges;
- housing;
- utilities;
- travel by public or any other transport, etc.
Social services (payments) provided once at a time are not taken into account in this case (for example, a payment of 5,000 rubles, which all pensioners received at the beginning of 2017, is not taken into account in this situation). Also, measures of social support that are expressed in a naturalized form (food sets, medicines, clothes, etc.) are not taken into account.
The living wage of a pensioner in Russia can be of two types - for working and non-working categories of citizens.
Employment of a pensioner
An employed pensioner must provide relevant information to the local branch of the Pension Fund. This can be done by visiting the relevant institution in person, or you can, without leaving your home, perform all operations in your personal account on the Pension Fund website.
We want to remind once again that working pensioners, by law, cannot receive this social payment. This is the difference in the cost of living for a working pensioner.
Documents Provided for Extra Payment
If a citizen receiving a pension has not previously announced the registration of this type of surcharge, then he needs to contact the local PFR office or the multifunctional center in person or through his personal account. You need to take with you a document proving the identity of the citizen, and a statement drawn up in the appropriate form. It is not necessary to collect other certificates and documents: passports and applications for receiving the service are quite enough. Recipients of pensions under the age of majority receive an allowance in an unsolicited manner.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to remind once again about several important points: a pensioner should not work at the time of applying for a social surcharge. But at the same time, he is required to have permanent registration on the territory of the Russian Federation.
So we examined what it consists of and how the cost of living for pensioners is determined. We hope the information in the article was useful to you.
