In Russia, they called for an increase in the birth rate

During the Results of the Year, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the need to raise the birth rate to two children per woman and stressed that the birth of a child should become a social norm and a "fashionable" phenomenon. He noted the positive demographic dynamics in 25 regions, and also pointed out the importance of both material and spiritual support for families. All the details are in the Izvestia article.

What Putin said about demographic goals

Putin stated that the current birth rate in Russia is about 1.4 children per woman. According to him, the country must achieve a level of at least two children, although this task is very difficult. The President stressed that the family should not feel a decrease in the level of prosperity after the birth of a child, as this is a key condition for improving the demographic situation.

He also appealed to cultural figures and media representatives to promote motherhood and fatherhood through creative projects. "It is necessary, of course, for this to become fashionable," Putin said, commenting on the need to form a value attitude towards the birth of children. In his opinion, it is important not only the material well-being, but also the inner state of parents, their understanding of family happiness.

At the same time, the head of state noted that there is already a positive demographic trend in 25 regions of the country. According to him, this indicates the effectiveness of the work of local authorities, which pay enough attention to social support.

What measures to support families are being discussed

The President raised the issue of extending the opening hours of kindergartens, proposing to increase the length of stay of children in preschool institutions. Such a measure, as he noted, will require the creation of additional rates for educators and teachers. At the same time, Putin pointed out the importance of organizing nursery groups as part of kindergarten renovation programs so that the infrastructure meets the needs of families with young children.

The topic of benefits was also touched upon, in particular, the practice of drastically reducing payments for large families with a slight excess of the need threshold. The President called this approach erroneous and immoral, promising to instruct the government to work on this issue. He also mentioned the possibility of extending the child care allowance from one and a half to three years, although he noted that the decision depends on budgetary possibilities.

As one of the new measures, Putin recalled the introduction of a tax payment from 2026 for families with two or more children whose per capita income is below 1.5 regional subsistence level. This initiative should become part of a comprehensive support system that already includes a single allowance, child care payments for up to one and a half years, and other social benefits.

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How the system of social benefits is changing

Starting in 2023, Russia has a single benefit for families with children and pregnant women, which combines several pre-existing payments. It is assigned on the basis of a comprehensive need assessment that takes into account the income and property of the family. In 2025, the average amount of such benefits is from 8.8 to 17.7 thousand rubles per month per child, and for pregnant women — from 9.6 to 19.3 thousand rubles.

For working parents, a monthly child care allowance for up to one and a half years remains in the amount of 40% of average earnings. Its minimum threshold in 2025 is set at 10.1 thousand rubles, and the maximum is 68.9 thousand rubles. At the same time, a parent can go to work before the child reaches the age of one and a half years, without losing the right to payment.

At the same time, the criteria for assessing neediness are being improved: when calculating income, for example, the funds of maternity capital or the incomes of mobilized citizens are not taken into account. Property restrictions allow for the presence of one apartment (at a rate of 24 sq. m. m per person), one car and one cottage. These rules are aimed at ensuring that families in real need receive assistance.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.