Russia eases child benefit rules to support struggling large families
Russia's Labour Ministry has updated the rules for the unified child benefit, allowing large families to keep payments even with slightly higher earnings. The changes will affect around 74,000 households raising over 230,000 children across the country. Families meeting the new criteria may now extend their benefits for another year under certain conditions.
The new law lets large families continue receiving support if their per capita income exceeds the regional subsistence minimum by up to 10%. In these cases, the benefit will be reduced to 50% of the local subsistence level.
Once the federal decree is officially adopted, regional authorities will need to adjust their own child benefit regulations. The Social Fund will then review applications and grant payments to eligible families starting from January 2026. No details have been released on how many of Russia's federal subjects must update their rules to implement the changes. However, the ministry expects the measure to provide financial relief to thousands of households with children.
The updated rules aim to support large families who earn just above the subsistence threshold. Eligible households will receive half the standard benefit for an extra 12 months. The changes will take effect once regional regulations are amended and reviewed by the Social Fund.
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