In the autumn session, a group of deputies plans to submit to the State Duma a bill titled On Amending the Law on Insurance Pensions. The proposal includes paying a 13th pension to elderly citizens. The daily newspaper News, citing the apparatus of the Just Russia – For Truth faction, reports on this development.
Under the draft, an additional pension would be issued once a year in December to support New Year celebrations for senior citizens, effectively creating the 13th pension. This initiative accompanies another provision that would double the fixed payment of the old-age insurance pension for residents over 70 years of age, replacing the current threshold of those over 80 years old.
Explanatory notes accompanying the bill reference the AgeWatch global index, which places Russia at 65th among 96 countries in terms of the social and economic well-being of the elderly. By comparison, Belarus, with a lower GDP, is positioned at 64th, while Hungary, matching Russia in GDP per capita, sits at 39th. These comparisons are used to argue that targeted pension improvements could elevate the standard of living for older Russians.
Sergei Mironov, head of the Just Russia – For Truth faction, asserts that establishing an additional insurance old-age pension will raise the welfare of this demographic and restore social justice for people who have spent their working lives contributing to the nation’s development. He contends that the policy could contribute to long-term social stability and fairness for generations of workers in the country.
On the financial side, Mironov estimates that implementing the initiative would require about 654.8 billion rubles. The proposal outlines how these funds would be mobilized and allocated to ensure timely payments without destabilizing the pension system. The discussion centers on balancing macroeconomic considerations with the goal of providing meaningful relief to pensioners who have faced rising living costs and gaps in coverage.
In parallel, former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has stated that the government plans to channel more than 10 billion rubles to regional authorities to support additional payments to non-working pensioners whose income falls below the subsistence level. This regional assistance is framed as a complement to the proposed federal measures, aimed at mitigating regional disparities and ensuring access to basic living standards for vulnerable retirees across the federation.
Proponents of the bill argue that these measures would not only supplement monthly pensions but also boost consumer confidence during the holiday season, encouraging older citizens to participate more fully in social and community life. Opponents, meanwhile, caution about the financial burden and the potential need for accompanying reforms to the pension framework to maintain long-term sustainability. The debate covers the efficiency of fixed and proportional components of pensions, the target demographic, and the broader implications for social policy in the Russian Federation. Observers note that the policy moves will likely influence political discourse ahead of the next electoral cycle and could shape public expectations regarding government support for the elderly.