From January 1 of next year, innovations concerning pensions, benefits and family capital will come into effect in Belarus.
They will, however, only affect one category of citizens: people with disabilities.
One of the changes is that in 2025, benefits will be paid for children over 3 years old in a family when the disabled child reaches 18 years of age.
Today, such benefits are paid only until the child reaches 18 years of age, if there are other children in the family.
If the child is assigned the 1st disability group and continues to be cared for, the family will continue to receive benefits for other minor children, the Belta agency quotes Deputy Minister of Labor Marina Artemenko as saying.
Early retirement
Another innovation for next year: fathers of disabled children will have the right to early retirement.
True, this is only the case if the father raises the child without the mother’s participation.
He will be able to retire early – five years before the generally established retirement age.
If disabled children have lost their breadwinner, then starting next year they will be able to receive an additional increased pension.
In fact, the child will receive two pensions: a disability pension and a survivor's pension. Today, according to the law, this is the right to choose one of the types of pension, - explained the deputy minister.
Family capital
Opportunities for using family capital have been expanded.
Thus, starting in 2025, funds from this program can be used to purchase assistive devices for people with hearing impairments.
It will also become possible to use family capital “for individual means of social rehabilitation.”
Currently, the corresponding list is “being expanded taking into account parents’ requests,” Artemenko said.
For reference
The benefit is one of the forms of material support for the population, assigned in case of illness, injury, pregnancy and childbirth, loss of work and in other cases.
