The Council of Ministers approved changes to the Law on Family Benefits for Children, which ease the conditions for receiving support from the state. This was announced by the Minister of Social Affairs Natalia Efremova.
One of the key changes is the elimination of the requirement that one-time benefits for students in grades 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 be returned if there are more than five unexcused absences. The reason is that the aid is provided for the entire school year and returning its full amount is a disproportionate sanction.
The regime for monthly family benefits is also changing. If a certain number of absences accumulate, the aid will no longer be suspended for an entire year, but only for the month in which the absences were admitted. According to Efremova, according to the analyses carried out, the prolonged suspension of benefits may increase the risk of children dropping out of the education system, instead of motivating their regular attendance.
The changes also expand the circle of persons who can receive family benefits. Pregnant women and families of foreign citizens granted protection under the Asylum and Refugees Act will be entitled to family benefits upon fulfillment of the relevant conditions.