According to statistics from the Ministry of Social Protection in 2019, more than 22 million citizens live below the poverty line. They belong to the category of low-income people - people whose income does not exceed the subsistence level. To help such people, special food cards were introduced in Russia.
general information
The Ministry of Industry and Trade planned to introduce food stamps - cards intended for low-income people - back in 2015, but as of today the program has not yet been implemented. Coupons are issued as part of a special program that is aimed at:
- support for socially vulnerable families, large families, the poor and the disabled;
- strengthening position Russian manufacturers On the market;
- improving the quality of products consumed by the population.
Main concepts
Key definitions of the government program are shown in the table:
Russian legislation includes poor people, large families, and unemployed citizens registered with the labor exchange in the concept of the poor.
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What are they needed for
The system of social coupons in 2019 provides low-income citizens with the opportunity to purchase minimum food packages with public funds. Cards are issued only to citizens who provide documents.
Important! Freelancers and unemployed people who are not registered are not entitled to cards.
Legal basis
Social food cards, designed to support low-income people, will be introduced only in 2019, last news The program focuses on the use of several legal documents:
- , or the Law on Minimum Wages.
- Document of the Ministry of Industry and Trade “Strategy for the development of trade in the Russian Federation for 2014-2016.” and the period until 2020."
- - the officially employed population can focus on it.
- - a definition of the concept of low-income people was made.
- - the procedure for calculating average income for families and single citizens is indicated.
How much will the coupons be issued?
Next year, program participants will receive food cards with a balance of up to 10 thousand rubles annually. Every month, depending on the citizen’s income and the regional minimum wage, 850-1400 rubles are credited to the account. Funds cannot be accumulated - they will expire in a month. The list of goods is strictly limited by law.
Interesting to know! The Ministry of Industry and Trade notes that the money burning system will encourage people to buy necessary products rather than spend them on expensive things.
What products are available
The owner of a card serviced by the Mir payment system can purchase only Russian products, and only goods included in the diet of the average Russian. Food stamps are used to get free:
- meat and fish;
- bread and pastries;
- dairy products;
- water and vegetable oil;
- seasonings, salt and sugar;
- fruits, vegetables.
In 2019, the full list is not yet known, but the government plans to add pet food, personal care products and household chemicals. According to the provisions of the program, sweets for the child are surplus, parents pay for them from their own funds.
Important! Social food assistance does not apply to cigarettes and alcohol.
Where can I buy
IN next year Food stamps can be used to pay at participating stores. The Ministry of Industry and Trade does not rule out the opening of social canteens, where payments from the poor will be withdrawn from this card.
How to apply for food stamps
Government bodies have not yet come to a unified procedure for obtaining a food card. The exact algorithm for citizens will be developed only after the project comes into force. Experts are considering an approximate course of action:
- Collection necessary documents- certificate of belonging to the category of low-income people, statements of salary, pension, scholarships at the place of work, study, from the pension fund.
- Submitting a package of papers to the social security authorities at the place of residence or registration of the person.
- Handing out a card to a person.
When will cards be introduced in 2019?
Many citizens are interested in the question of when social food cards will be introduced for people from the low-income category. The government assures that this issue will be resolved in 2019.
Who is eligible to claim benefits?
To prove a difficult financial situation and the opportunity to receive government assistance, a person must calculate his income:
- Add up funds from official sources for 3 months - pensions, alimony, scholarships, salaries, compensation.
- Divide this number by 3.
- Divide the result by the number of all family members, taking into account pensioners and children.
If the final number is below the subsistence level, the family has the right to food cards.
Interesting to know! In 2019, on the basis of and from January 1, the federal minimum wage is established at 11,280 rubles and regional minimum wage no less than federal.
What is a point payment system?
Assistance for low-income individuals is awarded in bonus points corresponding to the amount of 850-1400 rubles. Food certificates have several restrictions:
- No points are collected. If a person has not spent all the money in the current month, the account is reset to zero;
- points are not cashable. Cards are used to pay for purchases only in retail outlets, who are partners of the state project.
A citizen can deposit his own money on a card account at 30-50% monthly.
Important! To date, the government has not specified whether own funds along with the points.
Experience of the USSR and foreign countries of past years
Grocery cards are not new to Russia. The system was popular in several states.
USSR
Food stamps began to be issued back in 1917. The programs were launched periodically due to supply crises. The apogee of the coupon system fell in 1988-1991, when salt and vegetable oil. Since 1992, after the free trade law, certificates have become irrelevant.
USA
Free food has been provided to low-income Americans since the early 1970s. Monthly social benefit equals 115 dollars. The US has no plans to abandon the system.
Great Britain
The program was introduced after the end of World War II due to food shortages. It was reintroduced in 2014.
Cuba
Citizens have been receiving food cards since the 1960s, but now social support is experiencing a crisis. Cigarettes have ceased to be included in the list of preferential goods since 2016.
Kirov region
Cards for large families in the amount of 3 thousand. in the Russian Federation they were issued only at the regional level.
Trade experts and ordinary Russians like the idea of using food cards. According to a survey by VTsIOM, more than 80% of respondents are in favor of introducing the program. Next year's state budget already includes funds for the implementation of the coupon system.
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January 16, 2019, 00:47 March 3, 2019 13:28 
It is planned that in 2018 food cards for the poor will finally come into use. Planning for the implementation of this idea has been under consideration since 2015, but now the Government is talking about such cards as a fait accompli.
Unfortunately, the main reason for the emergence of such a measure of state support was the unfavorable economic situation in the country. Part of the population Russian Federation is below the poverty line and needs help additional funds, which will be spent to meet the needs of such citizens.
According to 2016 statistics, food packages on cards may be needed by approximately 15 percent of the population of the Russian Federation. In 2018, such low-income citizens may be given the opportunity to purchase minimal amount products at the expense of the state.
The number of persons who will receive such government support measures includes citizens who have incomes below the subsistence level.
Grocery cards will be issued only to those categories of citizens who find themselves below the poverty line, and they have the opportunity to prove this. That is, parasites and freelancers who hide their income cannot count on receiving such a measure of government assistance.
Cards will be provided only to certain categories of citizens. To do this, the interested party needs to make a few simple calculations:
- Add up all the income that was received by all family members during the last 3 months. All benefits and scholarships must be taken into account.
- The resulting amount is divided by 3 to determine the average monthly earnings.
- The total amount must be divided by the total number of family members (children and pensioners are taken into account).
If the final number is below the subsistence level, then large families or pensioners with a minimum pension will be issued a food card.
The card will contain points that can be spent on purchasing a number of domestic essential goods.
How much will the coupons be issued?
For transfer Money Each low-income citizen will be provided with special social cards, which will be awarded bonus points.
According to preliminary calculations, within a year, 10,000 rubles will be transferred to each such card, which can be spent on food for low-income citizens.
Cash in the amount of 850 to 1200 rubles will be credited monthly. Moreover, after this period the money will be burned. That is, you cannot transfer points to the next month. It is believed that such a short deadline will encourage citizens to spend accrued funds on essential products, and not save them in order to later purchase something more expensive.
Moreover, a program has been defined at the legislative level food products, on which a low-income citizen can spend these points.
What products are available
The holder of a grocery card will not be able to purchase whatever he wants with the accrued points. According to the law, a low-income citizen will be able to spend money only on products of domestic manufacturers, and only on things that he cannot imagine without. daily diet an ordinary Russian.
Exact list of products, for the purchase of which food cards are intended, is still in development. But it is known that low-income citizens will be able to purchase free goods that make up their daily diet, which includes:
- Meat fish;
- Bakery products;
- Dairy products;
- Spices, sugar, salt;
- Vegetables fruits.
The composition of this list may change. In particular, in the near future it is planned to add pet food and hygiene products to products intended for pensioners and other low-income categories of citizens.
Such certificates will not apply to the purchase of alcohol and cigarettes. The Government says that they do not intend to support the habits that Russians have.
Moreover, the program provides that low-income citizens will not be able to purchase surplus products with these points. For example, a person will not be able to buy sweets for his child with these funds; he will have to pay for them out of his own pocket.
Purchasing goods will only be possible in stores that cooperate with such a social program. It is planned that by the second half of 2018, citizens will have the opportunity to pay for visits to social canteens using such points.
How to apply for food stamps
Since the start of the program to support low-income citizens has not yet occurred, the exact procedure for obtaining a food card in 2018 is still unknown. It is planned that the procedure for issuing such a food certificate for Russians will come into force only at the end of 2017 - beginning of 2018, as soon as the bill passes through last changes and will be finally put into effect.
It is clear that a food card can be issued only after a citizen in need can submit documents confirming the possibility of receiving such a measure of state support.
The main document in this list is certificates confirming low income levels, confirming that family members really do not have enough money to achieve their income.
The documents will be accepted by the social protection authorities, so the interested citizen will need to contact government agency, located at the applicant’s place of residence.
The exact date when food cards will be introduced is still unknown. It is planned that low-income citizens and pensioners can obtain cards and start using this program at the end of 2017 or at the beginning of 2018. Therefore, experts advise closely monitoring the news.
As TASS reported, citing Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Viktor Evtukhov, a model of the system will be presented in Russia in mid-May 2018 ration cards. As it became known, food cards are intended for the category of citizens entitled to government subsidies. The official noted that the cards will be able to support not only low-income segments of the population, but also the state itself, and primarily the sphere of regional agricultural production. The decision to introduce food cards arose on the basis of the experience of world countries where this tool has been successfully used for decades.
How to get help from the state to buy an apartment Nuances of government programs The welfare of the people is one of the most important factors in the prosperity of the state. That is why Russia now offers several home purchase assistance programs for different categories of the population.
If the recipient does not use the money on time and for its intended purpose, it will be written off from the card. The introduction of such food stamps will solve the problems of millions of Russians whose income is insufficient for adequate nutrition. According to the latest data, this is 7% of the population (10 million people). The incomes of 21 million citizens of the Russian Federation do not reach the subsistence level. However, many receive their salaries “in envelopes,” which will complicate the selection of card recipients.
The exact date when they will be introduced food cards are still unknown. It is planned that low-income citizens and pensioners can apply for cards and the program at the end of 2017 or at the beginning of 2018. Therefore, experts advise closely monitoring the news.
How to get food cards 06/05/2018?. Detailed information.
The food assistance program assumes that low-income citizens will receive funds in the form of bonuses and points on Mir cards. With them it will be possible to purchase the necessary domestic products - vegetables and fruits, dairy products, as well as meat and fish, Utro.ru reports.
According to the proposed version of the program, using electronic certificates, low-income citizens will be able to purchase certain categories of food products produced in Russia, including bread, pasta, vegetables, fruits, eggs, meat, fish, milk and dairy products.
But the coupon system is by no means a relic of the past. IN modern times The practice of providing food certificates to low-income citizens is used all over the world, including in developed countries.
Ministry of Finance has provided its official consent to launch the program, but funding sources are still being discussed. , food cards will be serviced by the Mir payment system.
The amount of payments per program participant will be about 10 thousand rubles per year. Funds will be credited to electronic cards every month. You can pay with the card in grocery stores like a regular bank card.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has not yet specified what documents are needed to obtain a food card. It is known that control over the distribution of cards will be the responsibility of social security authorities - a low-income citizen should not have a question about where to get a food card, because he is probably familiar with the address of the local social security department. For registration benefits, you will have to not only bring the required papers, but also undergo an interview - a kind of test for lice. Anyone who receives a food card in Russia will be required to make every effort to find a job (if there is none) in order to avoid the spread of parasitism.
Card holders will also not be able to spend preferential funds on surplus products - say, candy. A low-income citizen who wants to please his child with sweets will have to spend his own money on it. The most controversial position so far is medicines - the Ministry of Industry and Trade has not decided whether they should be included in the list of social products.
To be fair, we note that food support for the population and food cards are measures that the Russian authorities have resorted to not for the first time. Suffice it to recall bread cards during the First World War, metered distribution of products in 1941-1947. or food stamps during the famine of perestroika.
The well-being of some Russians in our country continues to be not the best. In total, about 15% of low-income people live in Russia. In order to somehow help these citizens, the Government decided to introduce food cards. So they will know that the person did not do anything with this money, but spent it on his food.
Where to get food cards for the poor 2018 latest news. All news.
The food card program for the poorest part of the Russian population, which has been discussed in the government for more than three years, could be launched in 2019. This was stated by Denis Manturov, head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which is lobbying for the plan, RNS reports.
In the summer of 2017, the food assistance program for the poor would be launched no earlier than the second half of 2018. At the same time, the volume of payments was planned at the level of 10 thousand rubles per year.
According to a study by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM), the introduction of food cards in Russia is supported by 78% of the population. According to three-quarters of respondents, the implementation of such a program will support domestic agricultural producers, and will give the poor the opportunity to eat well. The majority of respondents do not expect food prices to rise. At the same time, 62% of respondents expressed concern that the list of stores in which cards can be used will be extremely small, and every second respondent shares the view that the quality of goods sold using cards will be low.
Child benefits in Kirov Demographic situation in Kirov region, as a partial indicator of the general situation, has been deteriorating since 2013. Despite the recovery from the critical situation at the beginning of 2000, the steady growth in the birth rate has stopped.
In Cuba, food cards have been issued to the poor for over 50 years, but now the coupon system on Liberty Island is dying. It is interesting that cigarettes were excluded from the list of preferential goods in Cuba only in 2018.
“The food assistance program requires a serious budget, we talked about this, the numbers were mentioned, unfortunately, this is not possible. I really hope that we will launch it in the near future, it seems that most of the approvals have been passed,” said Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Viktor Evtukhov.
It is assumed that the amount of assistance that the poor can count on will be about 1,600 rubles. Considering that the average price fresh meat is about 350 rubles, this is significant help for the poor, of whom there were about 22 million people in Russia at the beginning of 2018.
Grocery cards for pensioners in Moscow. Detailed information.
Grocery cards for the poor will come into use in 2018 – you can be 99% sure of this. The idea of their distribution was proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade for implementation back in the year, but now the head of the ministry D. Manturov speaks of the appearance of food cards as a fait accompli. The government was prompted to introduce such a social program for low-income citizens by the unfavorable economic situation in the country.
Who is eligible to claim the benefit?
The statistics collected by the Ministry of Social Protection in 2018 are terrifying: 22 million people (!) are below the poverty line in Russia, with general population 147 million people! At the same time, the Ministry of Social Protection clarifies that it counted only those people who submitted the appropriate documents, recognizing themselves as low-income - in fact, the figure may turn out to be much more impressive. 15% of the Russian population (every seventh) count the coins in their wallet, trying to scrape together enough for a loaf of bread.
It is for low-income citizens that Russia is introducing food cards. Those who will be able to receive a food card include people with a monthly income not exceeding the subsistence level. The cost of living varies depending on the region - for example, in Moscow it is 15,307 rubles.
Important clarification: The Ministry of Industry and Trade is going to issue food cards only to those citizens who find themselves below the poverty line due to external circumstances and can prove it. The state will definitely not support parasites who are able to work but do not want to. Russians who hide their real income and only pretend to be poor - freelancers, entrepreneurs, owners of subsidiary plots - should also not count on help.
How can a citizen understand whether he can take part in the food card program? To do this, he needs to make some simple calculations.
Add up all the income his family received over the last 3 months. Benefits, subsidies, scholarships also need to be taken into account.
Divide the resulting amount by 3 to derive the arithmetic mean.
Divide the result by the number of family members (including children and pensioners).
If the final value is below the subsistence level, you can safely apply for a food card for the poor in 2018.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has not yet specified what documents are needed to obtain a food card. It is known that control over the distribution of cards will be the responsibility of social security authorities - a low-income citizen should not have a question about where to get a food card, because he is probably familiar with the address of the local social security department. To apply for benefits, you will not only have to bring the required papers, but also undergo an interview - a kind of lice test. Anyone who receives a food card in Russia will be required to make every effort to find a job (if there is none) in order to avoid the spread of parasitism.
It is expected that the list of citizens entitled to benefits will be reviewed every 6 months. A low-income citizen will have to bring documents confirming his preferential status to social security every six months.
What can you buy?
The holder of a food card, alas, will not be able to purchase with its help any products that catch his eye - he will only have access to those things without which a Russian’s daily diet is impossible to imagine. The Ministry of Industry and Trade promises to present an exact list of available products very soon - it is now known for certain that it will include:
Salt, sugar, spices.
Vegetables, fruits, dried fruits.
In addition, social products include pet food, hygiene products (soap, washing powder, etc.), seeds and seedlings.
The benefit will not apply to alcohol and cigarettes. The Ministry of Industry and Trade categorically states that it is not going to support bad habits Russians.
Card holders will also not be able to spend preferential funds on surplus products - say, candy. A low-income citizen who wants to please his child with sweets will have to spend his own money on it. The most controversial position so far is medicines - the Ministry of Industry and Trade has not decided whether they should be included in the list of social products.
Those Russians who will be issued food cards should pay attention to one more limitation: only Russian products will be able to be paid for with preferential funds. Due to this restriction, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will try to catch up with the second hare - namely, to support domestic producers and give them an advantage in competition with importers.
Point payment system - what is it?
Food certificates will be issued in payment system World. The state will not transfer rubles to the cards at all, but bonus points - monthly in an amount equivalent to 1,200 or 1,400 rubles. The holder of a food certificate will have to put up with a number of restrictions.
Points cannot be accumulated. If a low-income citizen does not spend all the bonus rubles by the end of the month, the rest of the amount will be burned.
Points cannot be cashed out. You can pay with bonus rubles only in stores participating in the state program. It is expected that from 2018 the cards will be accepted in some canteens and cafes.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade clarifies that cardholders will be able to deposit personal funds into bonus accounts. Why should low-income citizens top up food cards with their own money? If only for the following reason: the state promises that a citizen will be able to receive from 30% to 50% of the top-up amount monthly - this is a pretty solid profit. The Ministry of Industry and Trade, apparently, has not yet decided what will happen to personal funds at the end of the month and whether they will burn out along with the bonus rubles.
Experience of the USSR and foreign countries
Distributing cards for the poor is not at all innovative solution for a crisis economy. We can say that food cards are returning to Russia - a similar system was already in effect in the USSR.
Grocery cards in the USSR appeared along with the USSR itself - in 1917. The coupon payment system was introduced periodically, but this was not at all connected with the widespread poverty of Russians (as it is now), but with constant supply crises. Many of the products in the Soviet Union were considered scarce - they could only be obtained with a special coupon and only in limited quantities (to avoid speculation). The coupon system in the USSR reached its peak in the period 1988 - 1991, when citizens could not purchase either sugar or sunflower oil. Since 1992, food certificates began to disappear due to the spread of free trade.
But the coupon system is by no means a relic of the past. Nowadays, the practice of providing food certificates to low-income citizens is used all over the world, including in developed countries.
In the United States, low-income citizens have been paying for food stamps for 50 years, receiving about $115 per person each month. The Americans consider this system fair and are not going to abandon it.
In Great Britain, the coupon system was introduced after the Second World War due to food shortages. The program was resumed in 2014.
In Cuba, food cards have been issued to the poor for over 50 years, but now the coupon system on Liberty Island is dying. It is interesting that cigarettes were excluded from the list of preferential goods in Cuba only in 2018.
Food certificates were also introduced in modern Russia– at the regional level. For example, in 2013, 3 thousand food cards were issued for large families in the Kirov region.
Both market experts and ordinary citizens for the most part have a positive attitude towards the idea of reviving the system of food cards in Russia for pensioners and other citizens in need of financial support. This was confirmed by a survey organized by VTsIOM: almost 80% of respondents were in favor. But if the idea of introducing an analogue of the coupon system into the economy is so good, no matter how you look at it, why is the Ministry of Industry and Trade delaying its implementation? The answer to this question is simple: the state cannot yet find enough money to bring the idea to life. According to preliminary estimates, almost 70 billion rubles will be needed - finding such an amount in a country with a crisis economy, alas, is extremely problematic.
Grocery cards should start operating in 2019. They plan to issue them to pensioners and the poor. The significance of food stamps will be as follows - it will help low-income citizens; support for domestic goods; reduction of inflation; positive economic impact on the country. The introduction of food cards should save the state from social collapse.
The procedure for introducing food cards for pensioners and the poor in 2019
The program for introducing food cards is actually targeted assistance, but not with money, but with essential goods. It is designed to solve two problems at once: to provide targeted assistance to those in need and to support demand for products from domestic manufacturers.
In addition, the program will also reduce inflation expectations, since it will minimize the need to increase the “live” money supply in circulation. According to the proposed version of the program, low-income citizens of the country will receive special cards.
They will be credited with points every month - electronic money, which can be “purchased” in grocery stores. Points can be spent on essential goods and perishable products of domestic production.
The program includes:
- dairy products;
- cereals and pasta;
- bakery products;
- vegetables and fruits;
- meat and fish;
- eggs.
Points that were spent during the month will not be added up - at the end of the period they will simply be reset to zero.
The amount budgeted for 2019 for the introduction of food cards for pensioners and the poor
The launch of a program with the introduction of food cards in Russia was planned several years ago, but due to the limitations budget funds Each time it was postponed indefinitely. At this stage, the volume of payments has already been included in the 2019 budget based on the average annual amount of 10 thousand rubles. per person.
According to rough estimates, the cost of implementing the social program, which will cover about 15-16 million people, will cost the state about 240 billion rubles. Such support will apply to all family members who are entitled to a certificate.
Citizens eligible to receive a certificate will be able to improve economic performance in the country and encourage people to choose Russian-made products. We can conclude that certificates are beneficial to both parties.
What are food cards
A free food card is a special document confirming the rights of a certain person to receive any product or product on the basis of a benefit or on the basis of a shortage present in the country.
There are food cards in other countries as well. Grocery cards can be called state aid young families. There are similar food coupons in Ryazan and the Ryazan region. The “Care” program offers citizens benefits for household services, the purchase of medicines, chemicals and food.
Food stamps in the United States, for example, have existed since the 40s and are still in demand today. About 13% of people use such coupons. A person receives an amount determined by the state on an individual plastic card and can use it to purchase food.
