Funeral allowance: what will change from 2026 and how to receive payments

In 2026, the burial allowance for a working person will be issued directly through the Social Fund of Russia (SFR), and you will no longer need to contact your employer. Anyone who has taken over the funeral arrangements will be able to receive the payment. You can submit documents through the MFC, the Gosuslugi portal, or directly to the fund's office, where the decision is made within one business day. The amount of the allowance is indexed annually and can be increased through regional surcharges. For more information about the payment processing procedure, see the Izvestia article.

What is a burial allowance?

The funeral allowance is a one—time social payment intended to partially compensate for funeral expenses. Its legal basis is fixed in Federal Law No. 8-FZ "On Burial and Funeral business". This law regulates burial relations in detail and establishes clear guarantees for citizens.

The law provides for two interchangeable types of assistance: a cash allowance and a guaranteed list of funeral services. It is legally prohibited to receive both for one person at the same time. This principle excludes double financing of the same expenses at the expense of the budget. If the free services of a specialized service were used to organize the funeral under an agreement with the municipality, then the right to receive monetary compensation is lost.

The guaranteed list of services, as explained by the managing partner of Rusyaev and Partners, lawyer Ilya Rusyaev, in a conversation with Izvestia, includes paperwork, provision of a coffin and related accessories, transportation of the body, as well as burial or cremation itself. Specific standards of services — materials, transport, place equipment — are already being determined at the regional and municipal levels.

What has changed in the burial allowance system in 2026

The key change, which has been phased in since January 1, 2025 and fully applied since 2026, is the exclusion of the employer from the payment chain if the citizen worked. Previously, there was a multi-stage system: as noted by lawyer Lyubava Trofimova, the death benefit of the employee was paid by the employer as the insured at the expense of the Social Fund, and then the fund reimbursed him this amount. The citizen had to contact the organization where the deceased worked. Now this scheme has been abolished.

— The recipient of the benefit does not go to the employer, but directly to the fund. Accordingly, he needs to contact the customer service of the Social Fund, the IFC, or through Gosuslugi," Trofimova clarified in an interview with Izvestia.

In fact, the appeal takes place in the SFR. This reduces the dependence of citizens on the integrity, efficiency, or even the very existence of the employing company, which is critically important in cases of liquidated or bankrupt organizations. The change creates a single, controlled and predictable mechanism for applicants across the country.

What is the amount of burial allowance in 2026

The amount of the allowance is not fixed and is subject to annual indexation taking into account the actual inflation rate. The indexation coefficient is approved by a separate decree of the Government of the Russian Federation.

For the period from February 1, 2025 to January 31, 2026, the payment is set at 9,165.37 rubles. The actual amount of the benefit may be higher than the established base amount due to regional allowances and the specifics of the deceased's status. The following payment amounts apply in Moscow:

• A working citizen. The allowance is 9,165.37 rubles. Additionally, you can get help from your employer if it is provided for in the employment contract.;

• An unemployed pensioner. The base payment is 9165.37 rubles, plus a regional surcharge of 15,386 rubles.;

• A minor or unborn child. 9165.37 rubles are paid for the burial of a minor, and 15,386 rubles are added for the birth of a stillborn child after 154 days of pregnancy.;

• Liquidators of the Chernobyl Nuclear power plant and the Mayak software. Families of those who died from illnesses related to the elimination of accidents are paid the federal 9,165.37 rubles and the Moscow surcharge of 18,415.71 rubles.;

• Military personnel. Compensation depends on the region; in Moscow, actual expenses are reimbursed, but not more than 70,884 rubles. In some cases, the funeral is fully paid for by the Ministry of Defense.;

• Retired military personnel. The amount of the payment is determined by the rank and length of service — it can amount to one or three monthly pensions of the deceased.;

• Participants of the Great Patriotic War. Relatives will be compensated for part of the funeral expenses, but not more than 51,786 rubles, including the basic allowance.

The exact amount for the period after February 1, 2026 will be determined later.

How to get a burial allowance

The person who has assumed the responsibilities and actual costs of funeral arrangements is entitled to receive the benefit. The circle of such persons is broadly defined and includes not only close relatives. The applicant can be a spouse, any relative, legal representative, as well as another person — for example, a neighbor, colleague, or representative of a charitable organization — who organized the funeral.

The key criterion is the fact of participation in the burial and incurring costs. The restrictions relate primarily to the status of the deceased rather than the applicant. The actual amount of the burial allowance often exceeds the base amount due to regional allowances and the status of the deceased.

What documents are needed to receive a burial allowance?

The package of necessary documents in the new system has been preserved, but the recipient of their submission is now the Social Fund of Russia. The basic set includes:

1. Application in the prescribed form for the appointment of benefits;

2. The original and a copy of the death certificate issued by the Registry Office (form No. 11);

3. Documents confirming the actual funeral expenses. These can be a contract with a funeral service, commodity and cash receipts, and payment receipts.

In some situations, additional papers may be required. For example, if the application is submitted not by a close relative, but by another person, a document may be required confirming the applicant's relationship with the deceased or explaining his participation in funeral arrangements.

—An application, a death certificate, and documents confirming funeral expenses," said lawyer Lyubava Trofimova.

Where to get a burial allowance

The right to benefits depends on the status of the deceased, but the initial application is always sent to the SFR in person or through the Gosuslugi portal. The Fund verifies the right to payment and determines which body will make it.:

• Social Fund — for those working at the time of death and for pensioners;

• Social protection — if the deceased did not work, was not a pensioner, or was a stillborn child born over 150 days pregnant.;

• Another body is for military and departmental employees, where the deceased received a pension.

The payment is transferred in the way indicated by the applicant — to a bank card or via mail.

Terms of receiving the burial allowance

You can apply for benefits immediately after making a state death record and receiving a certificate. The law allows you to apply for payment within six months — after this period, compensation can no longer be received.

The Social Fund reviews the application no longer than two days, and the approved amount, including regional coefficients, is credited to the specified account on the day the decision is made.