Vladimir Putin meeting with Pension Fund Board Chairman Maxim Topilin

Maxim Topilin updated the President on the organisation of social payments to families with children under the age of 16 as a form of government support in the context of the dramatic epidemiological situation. He noted that such payments had been approved for nearly 28 million children and that over 90 per cent of them had been already transferred.

Mr Topilin also reported on the social payments stipulated in a presidential executive order on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. These payments have been transferred to 454,600 war veterans and 577,600 home front workers.

He also informed the President about other payments made by the Pension Fund.

The fund’s operations were adjusted to the strict epidemiological safety requirements because they involve meeting people, Mr Topilin noted. The number of electronic services provided by the fund has increased so that people can request the necessary documents without actually having to visit customer support services. The fund is working together with the Labour Ministry on a law that will formalise this procedure.

The President pointed out that the new modern services must be accessible and understandable so that people will be able to use them and will know how to do this.

The Chairman of the Pension Fund Board also reported on the replacement of work record books, which is an official document recording employment, with their electronic versions. The experiment has been launched this year.

When speaking about the execution of the Pension Fund’s budget, Maxim Topilin noted that budget revenue had somewhat decreased due to the shrinking wage fund amid the epidemic, new benefits for small businesses, reduced rates and deferrals for companies affected by the epidemic. However, the fund proceeds from the assumption that financial assistance will be provided in case of any revenue shortfalls. These subjects are being monitored and have been coordinated with the Finance Ministry, the Labour Ministry and the Government; therefore, the Pension Fund will certainly honour all of its obligations this year.