What is social protection of the population and why is it needed?

According to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the state guarantees a certain standard of living and satisfaction of the needs of the population. The Russian Federation is a social state, and this means that the government’s policy should be aimed at creating conditions that ensure a decent life and human development.

For this purpose, the laws of the Russian Federation establish such social measures as:

• occupational safety and health;
• establishment of a guaranteed minimum wage;
• state support for family, motherhood, paternity and childhood, disabled people and elderly citizens;
• development of the social services system;
• establishment of state pensions, benefits and other guarantees of social protection.

These measures are implemented through the social protection system, which involves the establishment of minimum social standards.

Minimum social guarantees are guarantees of a minimum level of satisfaction of human needs for goods. These include, for example, a minimum wage, a pension, and guarantees of free medical care.

With the help of social guarantees, the state takes care of people who have lost the ability to work and provide for themselves. Social protection also assumes that the state performs important social functions, for example, providing housing for young doctors and teachers.

Social protection is provided by the state in two main forms:

• social assistance - payment of benefits, compensation, subsidies, and other measures that help a person get out of a difficult life situation. The main difference between social assistance is that it is provided regularly;
• social support – activities that help reduce the impact of life’s difficulties. Such events are rare, which distinguishes them from social assistance.

Social protection includes many different forms and types of social assistance and support aimed at socially vulnerable populations.

Types of social protection measures by the state

In order to protect certain social categories of the population, the state uses different types of assistance and support measures. Some categories may benefit from several types of social protection measures at once. For example, federal beneficiaries receive a package of social services, as well as cash assistance and material support.

In general, social protection measures can be reduced to the following categories:

• Social pensions (for disabled people, for loss of a breadwinner, for old age without insurance coverage)
• Benefits for certain categories of citizens (disabled people, large families, minors)
• Social services and provision of social services (services at home and in special institutions for the disabled and disabled)
• Social benefits (for the unemployed, for temporary disability, for child care, for orphans, etc.)
• One-time payments (maternity capital, payment to the unemployed for starting a business, payments upon birth/adoption, etc.)
• Providing real estate and benefits upon purchase (for orphans, young families, young teachers, doctors)
• Other social protection measures

It is important that at the level of individual constituent entities of the Russian Federation additional types of social assistance and support can be introduced. For example, in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug there is a law “On a foster family for an elderly citizen” . In accordance with this law, an assistant to an elderly person is provided with a monthly monetary remuneration, which in 2021 is 9,868 rubles.

Thus, the state offers various types of assistance to citizens and families who are socially unprotected or in need of assistance.

Who can apply for social protection

The legislation of the Russian Federation provides that the widest range of people in need can receive help and support from the state. Let's consider which categories of the population can qualify for help and support from the state.

Participants, veterans and disabled people of the Second World War and other military operations

Participants, veterans and disabled people of the Second World War and other military operations, their families have the right to such social protection measures as:

• monthly social payment depending on status;
• for war invalids – additional disability pension;
• free housing from the state (if a WWII participant does not have his own);
• compensation for half the cost of utilities;
• free production and installation of prostheses;
• expanded guarantees of free medical care;
• help from social workers.

When a war veteran dies, most of his benefits package goes to his relatives - spouses, parents and dependents. Concentration camp prisoners have equal rights to war participants.

Home front workers

During the Second World War, payments to home front workers are established at the regional level, benefits are determined by federal legislation. According to the law, the list of support measures is as follows:

• 50% discount on prescription medications;
• free medical care;
• free dentures and dental procedures;
• 50% discount on housing and communal services;
• sanatorium and resort treatment (if there are medical indications);
• free travel (on any type of transport in the city if you have a social card).

Most regions also establish monthly cash payments and can also provide assistance in solving housing problems.

Disabled people

Disabled people are a very large category of the population. Disability is divided into 3 groups depending on severity, and disabled children are also distinguished. The amount of benefits and payments for people with disabilities varies significantly depending on the group. In general, disabled people in Russia apply for the following types of assistance from the state:

• social disability pension - if a disabled person has not reached retirement age or does not have the necessary work experience to calculate an insurance pension. Does not depend on whether the recipient is working;
• monthly cash payment (MCV);
• additional monthly financial support (DEMO) - for disabled people of the Second World War and those injured during hostilities;
• federal social supplement (FSD) - paid if the amount of other payments does not cover the cost of living for disabled citizens;
• provision of prosthetics;
• a set of social services - medication provision, sanatorium-resort treatment and travel to it. Can be replaced by a cash payment;
• tax benefits and tax deductions;
• benefits for housing and communal services (payment of half the cost);
• receiving land plots, housing for rent or social rent out of turn.

Families with disabled children also receive a social pension, EDV and have benefits for housing and communal services.

Some regions and localities establish additional surcharges, financial support and other types of assistance for people with disabilities.

Unemployed

The unemployed are those citizens who do not have a job and have registered with the employment service. According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, the unemployed apply for the following forms of assistance:

• unemployment benefit;
• financial assistance (set by regions);
• one-time subsidy for starting your own business.

It is important that you can receive unemployment benefits for a limited time and under certain conditions. In each individual region, supplements to unemployment benefits may be established.

Senior Citizens

Elderly citizens, if they do not have sufficient work experience to accrue an insurance pension, can apply for a social pension.

In addition, for single and elderly people living alone, the state guarantees the provision of social services by social workers. For low-income elderly people, they provide one-time assistance - provision of food, assistance in paperwork, etc.

For those elderly people who need constant assistance, inpatient care is organized (nursing homes), where all the necessary services are provided.

Veterans of Labor

Labor veterans are those people who began working during the Second World War as a minor and currently have at least 40 years of experience for men and 35 years for women (or have been awarded the corresponding titles). In addition to the preferential rights that all pensioners have, labor veterans also have the following rights:

• free travel on all types of public transport.
• payment of utilities in the amount of 50% of the cost;
• free production and repair of dentures in public health care institutions;
• monthly cash payment (set by regions).

Additionally, regions can establish other types of benefits and additional payments for labor veterans.

Persons awarded with state awards

Persons awarded state awards are also entitled to certain benefits and payments. Payment amounts depend on the status of the award. Thus, a Hero of the Russian Federation has the right to claim an increased pension in the amount of about 75 thousand rubles (as of 2021). In addition, those awarded state awards claim the following benefits:

• no fees for housing and communal services;
• provision of free medications with a doctor's prescription;
• free production and repair of dentures;
• free trips to sanatoriums, including meals and tickets for travel to the place of therapy;
• the right to receive a land plot and expand living space.

At the same time, the specific conditions for receiving benefits and payments depend on the award itself and are prescribed in Russian legislation.

Young professionals

Young professionals, which usually include young doctors and teachers, are entitled to payments. In particular, young teachers have the right to the following assistance:

• relocation payments – one-time payments when moving to a new place of work;
• benefits when applying for a mortgage - part of the interest rate is compensated;
• assistance in providing housing.

For young healthcare professionals, the State programs “Zemsky Doctor” and “Zemsky Paramedic” are offered. The first program involves paying young doctors 1 million rubles when they move to work in a village. The second program is being implemented in some regions and provides similar payments to young paramedics in the amount of 500 thousand rubles.

Women in connection with pregnancy and childbirth

All pregnant women receive benefits and compensation, regardless of whether they have a job. State support measures for the birth of children include the following:

• allowance for early registration;
• birth certificate;
• lump sum benefit for the birth of a child (paid once after the birth of the child, at the expense of the state or the employer);
• maternity benefits;
• child care allowance up to 1.5 years;
• monthly allowance for a third child under 3 years of age;
• regional child benefits up to 18 years of age;
• compensation for failure to provide a place for a child in kindergarten;
• maternity capital (for second, third or more children).

As you can see, the state provides a fairly large amount of assistance for the birth of children.

Large families

Assistance to large families is based on regulations of local authorities, which determine which families are classified as large families. But at the same time, the list of benefits for such families has been approved at the federal level:

• 30% discount on utility bills;
• free medication assistance for children under 6 years of age;
• subsidies for food in educational institutions;
• free sets of school and sports uniforms;
• free visits to cultural places and institutions once a month;
• free travel in city and suburban transport
• free education for parents from large families
• discounts on land tax, rent and registration fees (if a large family is engaged in farming or commercial activities).

At the regional level, the amounts of such payments for large families are established:

• annual compensation payment for children from large families;
• monthly payment from one and a half to seven years for each minor child;
• monthly social payment to mothers who gave birth (adopted) and raised five or more children and receive a pension;
• monthly compensation payment to cover expenses due to the rising cost of living for children from large families receiving a survivor's pension;
• monthly cash payment to low-income families at the birth of a third or subsequent children until the child reaches the age of 3 years;
• monthly payment to women who have been awarded the honorary title “Mother Heroine”;
• a one-time cash payment at the birth of the third and subsequent children.

Thus, numerous benefits and payments are also provided for large families, which is necessary to improve the living conditions of children in such families.

Children under 16 years old

The state pays benefits for children up to one and a half years old or, in some cases, up to three years old. However, children under 16 years of age may also qualify for payments. The basis for them is a situation where the income for each family member is below the subsistence level. The state pays the missing amount up to the subsistence level.

Survivors

The state also helps those relatives who have lost their breadwinner. After the death of the breadwinner, children and disabled relatives can claim:

• receiving a pension - social, insurance or state (depending on the status of the deceased);
• free travel on all types of public transport;
• Schoolchildren are provided with two free meals a day;
• discount on housing and communal services in the amount of 50%;
• free admission to cultural events;
• the right to free medical care;
• purchasing medicines on preferential terms or free of charge;
• Children under two years old are provided with free meals in the dairy kitchen.

Orphans

However, orphans who have lost both parents need even more serious help and support. Orphans in Russia receive the following types of assistance:

• pension;
• completely free medical treatment;
• regular issuance of vouchers to a recreational summer camp, including free delivery to the vacation spot and back;
• free secondary vocational or higher education;
• annual assistance in the amount of three scholarships for the purchase of educational materials - for students;
• free meals in public educational institutions;
• provision of your own housing or in accordance with a social rental agreement by the time you reach adulthood.

Additionally, benefits can be established for orphans at the regional level - free travel on transport, additional payments, discounts when paying for housing and communal services.

Low-income citizens and families

Low-income citizens and families receive this status in accordance with their income (if it is below the subsistence level in the region). Low-income families can receive the following payments:

• monthly child benefits (also in some regions there are additional payments);
• the opportunity to receive housing for use under a social tenancy agreement on a first-come, first-served basis;
• social mortgage at a reduced cost;
• subsidies for home owners and tenants;
• tax benefits and deductions;
• regional maternal capital (in some regions).

Low-income people, as well as some other categories of families, can be classified as those in need of improved housing conditions. These families are registered with the relevant local authority and given a number in the queue. Certain categories receive housing in the first place or out of turn (orphans, Chernobyl survivors, judges and prosecutors).

Young families

The need for their own separate housing also arises among young families. Young families with and without children have the right:

• to receive a subsidy for the purchase of an apartment;
• obtaining a land plot;
• receive a subsidy for building a house;
• take advantage of a social mortgage;
• use mortgages at reduced interest rates;
• for benefits on utility bills;

A government subsidy can cover up to 70% of the cost of purchased housing, and at the expense of Maternity Capital, pay the down payment on a mortgage loan or pay part of the principal debt.

Rehabilitated victims of political repression

Benefits and social payments are provided to rehabilitated victims of political repression. Those who have been rehabilitated have the right to claim financial compensation for losses incurred:

• provision of residential premises at the expense of the state, if the loss of housing due to the fault of the previous authorities is proven;
• receiving monetary compensation in case of restriction of freedom of movement (staying in prison or in a psychiatric hospital), as well as for lost real estate, if it is not possible to return it;
• free travel pass for all types of city public transport (or travel without purchasing a ticket with a certificate);
• provision of vouchers to medical and health institutions on a priority basis;
• placement in nursing homes;
• discount on the purchase of medicines with a doctor's prescription.

These measures are partially paid for by the federal budget, and partially financed at the regional level.

Victims of the Chernobyl disaster

Persons who received radiation as a result of the accident at Chernobyl and other nuclear power plants, natural and man-made disasters receive assistance from the state. Benefits for Chernobyl victims may vary significantly depending on the basis for assigning the status, the presence of a disability group and the degree of exposure received.

The list of required Chernobyl payments is as follows:

• accrual of temporary disability benefits in full amount of the average salary;
• payments for the purchase of food for a Chernobyl child under 14 years of age;
• monthly accrued payment for health improvement;
• compensation for the relocation of a Chernobyl survivor if necessary;
• benefits for each family member of the victim.

Children of Chernobyl victims are provided with the following opportunities:

• payment of benefits;
• the right to improved living conditions;
• receiving discounts and benefits on utility bills and rent.

Chernobyl victims also receive disability payments, as well as EDV, in accordance with legislation in the field of social protection of disabled people.

Civil servants

Civil servants have, on the one hand, all the rights and social guarantees of ordinary citizens and employees, and on the other hand, the state guarantees them additional social protection measures:

• the right to free treatment in any health care institution;
• payment of additional salary upon retirement;
• training at the expense of the budget while maintaining a place of service;
• pension provision depending on length of service;
• receiving a free subsidy for the purchase of housing.

Military personnel

Military personnel in Russia have broader social guarantees because they are fully dependent on the state. In addition to monetary allowance (wages), military personnel apply for the following social protection measures:

• right to housing;
• subsidy for the purchase of housing;
• the right to free education and medical care;
• right to severance pay;
• the right to free travel to the place of duty and transportation of one’s belongings;
• tax benefits.

Military families also have the following benefits:

• greater amounts of child benefits;
• monthly subsidies to the lump sum benefit for the birth of a child;
• compensation for kindergarten fees for military children;
• free travel to and from your vacation spot once a year.

Law enforcement officers

Law enforcement officers also have broad social guarantees in Russia. In addition to the benefits associated with serving in the police (free travel, hotel accommodation, etc.), employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have the right to:

• receive free medical care;
• manufacture and install dentures;
• receive medicines and medical products free of charge according to a prescription or doctor’s prescription;
• medical benefits for family members;
• social benefits for purchasing your own home;
• preferential mortgage terms;
• compensation for moving expenses.

Thus, the state, as an employer, provides fairly broad guarantees of the standard of living of employees.

All citizens of the Russian Federation

This includes assistance from the state to those categories of the population that are practically not limited by law.

Far Eastern hectare. From February 1, 2021, every citizen has the right to receive for use absolutely free of charge, and subsequently register ownership of, a plot of land in the Far East. A plot of one hectare can only be obtained by a citizen of the Russian Federation, regardless of gender and age. In this case, for example, a family of three can claim three hectares. The land is given absolutely free, but the state sets a condition - the hectare must be developed within a certain time.

The program for issuing land plots in the Far East has been in effect for more than one year, but difficulties still arise - either the selected land is occupied, or the soil is unsuitable for growing crops, or some other problems arise.

General medical examination. It is a preventative medical examination. All adults over 21 years of age can undergo medical examination free of charge. In this case, you can undergo the examination if the year of birth corresponds to the list that is established for each year. A medical examination can be done once every 3 years, but even if a person is not eligible for medical examination in a particular year due to age, he has the opportunity to undergo a free preventive medical examination. Medical examination is paid for at the expense of compulsory medical insurance (free for patients with compulsory health insurance policies).

Blood donation. Any adult citizen of the Russian Federation who is in normal health and weighs more than 50 kilograms can become a blood donor. In the case of gratuitous blood donation, the donor is provided with food in a medical institution, which can be replaced with a cash payment. In the case of paid donation (rare blood types, components), the donor receives payment depending on what biomaterial he donates. There is the title “Honorary Donor”, ​​which gives the right to benefits (at the regional level), but to receive it, a mandatory condition is gratuitous blood donation.

As you can see, for many Russian citizens there is an opportunity to receive some benefits and services from the state.

Benefits for the poor

Rising unemployment, low wages, rising costs of food and other goods contribute to classifying an increasing number of citizens as poor, because the income they receive is not enough to live on. This category of the population has the right to claim the following additional assistance and benefits from the state:

• registration of a social mortgage program;
• free provision of medicines for children under 6 years of age;
• priority placement of the child in kindergarten;
• free meals for schoolchildren;
• providing benefits when paying property taxes, etc.

Poor people are considered to be persons whose documented cash income for each family member is below the subsistence level established in the region of their residence. So, for example, if a citizen earns 10,000 rubles a month, then in St. Petersburg he will be considered low-income, because The monthly average there is 10,791.60 rubles, but in the Leningrad region it will not be, since the monthly average there is 9,914.3 rubles.

Assigning low-income status does not deprive the applicant of the right to receive other financial assistance from the state, for example, maternity benefits or in connection with the birth of children. Depending on the region of residence, the number of their types and target orientation may be different; you can clarify this information with the social security office at your place of residence. Social assistance to low-income people can be divided into the following main types:

• one-time:
• financial assistance due to a difficult financial situation;
• one-time payment for a first-grader.
• monthly:
• for children until they reach adulthood;
• for third and subsequent dependents;
• for student travel;
• for a disabled child or with special needs;
• citizens of retirement age living alone;
• social scholarship for students;
• for nutritious nutrition for pregnant, lactating women and children under 3 years of age.

One-time payment to first-graders

For children enrolled in school in the first grade, whose family is recognized as low-income, regional government bodies provide separate financial support intended for the purchase of school and sports uniforms, and school supplies. Its peculiarity is that in some regions of the Russian Federation it is not provided for all low-income families. Thus, the social security of Moscow pays it only for those first-graders who live in large families.

In order to find out whether you are entitled to help or not, you need to contact your local social security before the start of classes or within six months from September 1, providing the necessary package of documents, including:

• passport of the parent(s);
• birth certificate of a first-grader;
• certificate from school confirming admission to 1st grade.
• certificate of income of all family members;
• certificate of family composition;

If parents live separately, then when one of them contacts social security, you will need to confirm that the other has not taken advantage of this opportunity earlier. Assistance can be paid in the form of a subsidy or by compensating for money spent upon presentation of sales receipts from the store indicating that they were spent directly on the student. The amount is determined individually in each region of the Russian Federation and ranges from one to several thousand rubles.

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For student travel

A number of regions of the Russian Federation provide schoolchildren with a discount on travel on public transport or issue cards for free travel. Some entities pay a special allowance. Its size varies depending on the region of the Russian Federation and amounts to several hundred rubles. It is paid only if, for objective reasons, children are studying at a school that is not located in their area of ​​​​residence, and the only way to get to the place of study is by transport. To process this payment you must provide the following documents:

• statement from a legal representative;
• passport of one of the parents;
• student's birth certificate;
• certificate of family composition;
• documentary evidence of income of all family members;
• a certificate from the school indicating the fact and period of study;
• a certificate from the local education department confirming the absence of educational opportunities in the immediate vicinity of the student’s place of residence.

Social scholarships and other payments for students

For students of higher education institutions (HEIs) and secondary specialized educational institutions (SSUZ), a scholarship is paid for good academic results. The social scholarship has a different purpose and is awarded to all low-income students, regardless of their academic performance, studying full-time at the expense of budget funds. The minimum amount of required financial assistance is established by Federal Law No. 122-FZ of 08/07/2000 “On the procedure for establishing the amounts of scholarships and social benefits in the Russian Federation” and is:

• 730 rubles for secondary educational institutions;
• 2010 rubles for universities.

The amount of the social scholarship is determined by each educational institution independently, but cannot be less than 1.5 times the amount established by law. From 2021, the procedure for processing payments has been changed. The student must be a recipient of state social assistance. An application for registration of this allowance must be submitted before October 1 to the dean’s office of the university or secondary school, which must issue an order for the award of the scholarship within 10 working days.

For food

Monthly payments for nutritious food provided by social security are provided to women from 12 to 40 weeks of pregnancy, nursing mothers and children under 3 years of age, provided that they do not attend kindergarten. Pregnant girls and newborns under 1 year of age do not need to provide written confirmation. To receive assistance for older children, you should contact social security with supporting documents, including:

• statement;
• passport of the legal representative;
• baby's birth certificate;
• income certificate for all family members.

State authorities of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation can provide this support in different ways. So, for example, in Moscow, Moscow region, Kamchatka region, Saratov region, it can be obtained in kind (providing food, basic necessities, hygiene, etc.). Cash assistance in the amount of several hundred rubles is provided to residents of such areas as:

• Voronezh;
• Leningradskaya;
• Penza;
• Tyumenskaya and others.

To pay utility bills

Some categories of citizens who regularly pay for housing and communal services (hereinafter referred to as housing and communal services) and do not have overdue debts on them have the right to receive a discount on their payment. Its exact amount is calculated individually, but for some categories of the population separate standards are established, for example:

• for large families – 30% of the cost of housing and communal services;
• for veterans and disabled people – 50%.

All citizens who spend more than 22% of the total family income on payment for household services have the right to apply for a discount. This indicator is the same for all subjects of the Russian Federation, but regional or municipal authorities have the right to reduce it. To receive compensation, you must contact social security with a package of documents, which must contain a certificate of income for all family members and written confirmation of ownership and rental of the premises. To calculate the specific discount amount, a number of factors are taken into account, including:

• average per capita monthly family income;
• area of ​​residence and its status (rented, owned, etc.);
• the amount of monthly housing and communal services payments.

For travel on public transport

Reduced travel on urban public transport for socially vulnerable categories of citizens is not provided in all constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The fact of its provision, the size and method of implementation are determined by the regional government authorities. It may be provided in the form of a subsidy, full or partial compensation for purchased tickets, or a free travel document. The following may apply for these benefits:

• low-income citizens;
• schoolchildren and students;
• pensioners;
• military veterans;
• disabled people;
• preschool children;
• citizens who have been awarded medals, orders, other state awards, and who have been awarded honorary titles.

For single mothers

Mothers raising children independently are entitled to additional government support provided for by federal and regional legislation. Its size is significantly higher than similar benefits paid to parents in two-parent families. State authorities of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation have the right to establish additional benefits for single mothers. To register them, you must confirm their status with the following documents:

• a certificate from the registry office (if the father is recorded according to the mother’s words);
• birth certificates of children with a dash in the father column;
• certificate of family composition.

Where to go to apply for benefits and allowances

Each type of social protection measures requires its own registration procedure. You can find out what documents you need to provide by contacting the relevant government agency.

Various types of social protection of the population are issued in the following institutions:

1. Pension Fund of the Russian Federation - social pensions, maternity capital, disability pensions, monthly cash payments, federal social supplement.
2. Social Insurance Fund - payment of benefits for pregnancy, childbirth, child care, provision of disabled people with prostheses, provision of privileged categories with vouchers to sanatoriums.
3. Employment Center – payment of unemployment benefits, one-time payments for organizing your own business;
4. Local Department of Social Protection (or MFC) - benefits for various categories of the population at the local level, assistance to the poor, large families, labor veterans, and many other categories.
5. Medical and preventive institutions - medical examination.

If it is not clear what rights a person has to benefits and payments, it makes sense to contact the multifunctional center in your locality, where he will be advised on further actions.

Social security - what is it? Meaning

Social Security - what kind of body is this, what functions does it perform? These are the questions asked by many young people who heard this name in conversations of the older generation. In Soviet times, social security was a social security agency. He dealt with issues of supporting the livelihoods of the most vulnerable segments of the population. Disabled people, pensioners, low-income people, and large families turned there for help. Currently, its functions are divided between the pension fund and social protection authorities. Nevertheless, the relevance of the word “social security” still remains, because people of the older generation cannot accept another name.

Social Security - what kind of body is it, what powers does it have? These questions are asked by almost all young people who hear such a word for the first time from the lips of the older generation. But there are very few who really understand its purpose. Despite the fact that social security services are a thing of the past, they have been replaced by social security agencies. They perform social security functions, but do not assign or pay pensions. Only the Pension Fund does this. Nevertheless, social protection still provides assistance to large families and single mothers, unemployed pensioners, and repressed people. All vulnerable categories of citizens have the right to turn there for help and get answers to their questions.

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