The minimum income for benefits has increased: what is important for parents to know in 2026

In 2026, the rules for assigning universal allowances for families with children are changing in Russia. The minimum income for able-bodied family members has been increased, the accounting procedure for payments has been clarified, and the amounts of benefits have been indexed. The innovations apply to all categories of families, including those with many children, as well as single mothers. Pilot projects for additional income verification are being launched in a number of regions. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.

Universal benefit in 2026: new rules, amounts and conditions

In 2026, changes in the rules for the appointment of universal benefits for families with children will come into force in Russia. The updated requirements affect the criteria of need, the accounting procedure for income and the amount of payments. The minimum annual income for able-bodied family members is increased, and certain types of financial assistance are excluded from the calculation.

After the indexation, monthly payments are increasing, and pilot projects for additional income verification are being launched in a number of regions. New support tools are also being introduced for working parents with two or more children.

State Duma deputy, Deputy Chairman of the Budget and Taxes Committee Kaplan Panes (LDPR faction) told Izvestia about the new rules for assigning universal benefits. According to him, starting this year, significant changes in the rules for assigning universal benefits to families with children will come into force. These changes are aimed at clarifying the conditions of support and relate to both criteria of need and specific amounts of payments.

— The main innovation is that the minimum annual income requirement for able—bodied family members now amounts to eight minimum wages, which, taking into account the new minimum wage of 27,093 rubles, is equal to 216,744 rubles for the billing period. Previously, this bar was at the level of four minimum wages. Income includes not only wages, but also payments for temporary disability, as well as income from entrepreneurship," Panesh said.

At the same time, it is important that for a number of categories, including recipients of old-age, disability, or survivor's pensions, this income requirement does not apply or may be reduced, which is an important relaxation.

At the same time, the list of valid reasons for lack of income has been expanded. These include receiving an old-age, disability, or survivor's pension. If such circumstances have been in effect for part of the year, months without earnings are excluded from the calculation, and the minimum threshold is reduced proportionally.

In the event that valid reasons lasted for ten months or more, the requirement of eight minimum wages does not apply at all. At the same time, one of the explanations of the Gosuslugi portal states that the minimum income rule may not apply to single mothers and mothers with many children.

The accounting procedure for individual payments has also changed. Since 2026, when calculating family income, one-time financial assistance from an employer at the birth of a child in the range of one million rubles per year, as well as monthly payments to residents of the Kursk region who have lost property as a result of emergencies, are not taken into account.

At the same time, the annual indexation of the universal benefit remains: from January 1, 2026, its amount is 50, 75 or 100% of the child's subsistence minimum, which has reached 18 371 rubles.

— Also, when calculating the average per capita income of a family, some types of financial assistance will no longer be taken into account. In particular, one—time financial assistance from employers, paid at the birth of a child, as well as monthly monetary assistance to residents of the Kursk region who lost their property as a result of emergency circumstances, is excluded from the calculation.

According to the parliamentarian, pregnant women who registered early and families with children under the age of 17, whose average per capita income does not exceed the subsistence minimum established in the region, will continue to receive benefits. Its size, as before, can be 50, 75 or 100% of the regional subsistence level.

Since the beginning of the year, the allowance has already been indexed by 6.8%, and the national average for payments for children now amounts to approximately 9185, 13 778 and 18 371 rubles per month, depending on need.

What will change in the lives of Russians from February 1

Indexation of the parent capital, limits on family mortgages and other innovations

Other important changes

From October 1, 2026, an experiment on extended income verification will start in certain regions, including the Moscow Region, Yamalo-Nenets and Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrugs. As part of the pilot project, the allowance may not be assigned if the turnover of funds in the family's bank accounts for the year is more than twice its official income.

— It is worth paying attention to the pilot project that has been launched in several regions, including the Moscow region. As part of the experiment, when assessing the right to benefits, they may begin to take into account receipts to bank accounts and deposits if they significantly exceed the official income of the family. So far, this mechanism is operating only in a test mode," Panes said.

As for other payments, a planned indexation of a number of social benefits by the same percentage is expected from February 1. Thus, the one-time allowance for the birth of a child will increase to 28,450 rubles, and the maximum amount of monthly child care allowance for up to one and a half years may reach 83,021 rubles for working citizens.

All indexing takes place automatically, without the need to submit additional applications from recipients. For families who already receive universal benefits, it is also important to know about the new support tool — the annual family payment.

— This measure will complement the existing ones and will be aimed at working parents raising two or more children. The support system for families with children continues to evolve, becoming more targeted. It is important to follow the official explanations of the Social Fund of Russia, which is responsible for the appointment and payment of benefits, especially when submitting a new application or changing circumstances in the family, — said Panesh.

Another innovation will come into force on March 1, 2026 and will affect the accounting of alimony. In the absence of a court decision on the amount of payments for calculating benefits, they will be taken into account in a fixed proportion of the average salary in the region — a quarter of income for one child, a third for two and half for three or more.