The cost of living is a special effective tool through which state regulation is carried out upon receipt of state support. Its value is set for each of the regions of the country individually, based on the current socio-economic situation. The cost of living in the Irkutsk region is a guideline on the need for a person to receive certain social protection. Its size is set at the end of each quarter.
The essence of the concept of a living wage
For each of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, its own subsistence minimum is established. In the Irkutsk region and other regions of the country, it plays the role of a kind of criterion for assessing the current standard of living of people. It is he who acts as the main guideline in the development and implementation of basic programs for social support of people, in particular those who represent the category of the poor.
The cost of living in the Irkutsk region is a full value reflection of the current value of the consumer basket. The procedure for calculating it and the basic formulas are the same in all Russian regions (regardless of their location).
In addition to the main one, a living wage for pensioners in the Irkutsk region was also introduced in the regions of the country.
Purpose and functions of a living wage for the region
The main purpose of the living wage, enshrined in applicable federal law, is reduced to:
- justification of the selected minimum wage (depending on the region);
- the formation of the federal budget;
- assessment of the current standard of living of people during the development and implementation of various support programs at the regional and federal levels;
- substantiation of the size of various payments, including various benefits, scholarships and others.
At the regional level, the cost of living performs the following functions:
- demonstrates the need for social state support for the poor;
- an indicator of people's living standards, necessary during the development and subsequent execution of social programs in a particular region;
- formation of local budgets of the country's regions.
Cost of living in the Irkutsk region
By a decree of the Government of the Irkutsk Region, a living wage is established every year. At the same time, the main guideline is the current consumer basket, food prices and a number of non-food items, mandatory expenses on fees and other payments.
The living wage in the Irkutsk region is set for the following categories of the population:
- Senior citizens.
- The population of working age.
- Children.
The significance of this indicator
The cost of living in the Irkutsk region is especially relevant for all representatives of unprotected categories of the population of the region. According to the latest data, in the Baikal region more than 35 thousand people belong to this group, and a significant proportion of them live in Irkutsk itself. Among them, about 16 thousand families in the region are officially recognized as poor.
It is through such an instrument as a living wage that it is easiest to assess whether a family is really poor. Only those people whose income does not reach the level accepted in the territory of the region can receive special social support.
The cost of living in the first quarter of 2017
For the 1st quarter of 2017, the size of this indicator is established by the relevant regulatory acts.
After making the calculations in accordance with the charter of the region and the law prescribing the procedure for establishing the cost of living, the following numbers were deduced:
- in the whole region, the cost of living in the Irkutsk region amounted to 9923 rubles;
- pensioners laid 8009 rubles .;
- able-bodied population 10506 rubles;
- Children are entitled to 10159 rubles.
A similar indicator for the Far North regions was respectively:
- 11995 - per capita;
- 9646 - due to pensioners;
- 12754 - indicator for the able-bodied population;
- 12334 - for children.
The cost of living for other territories in the Irkutsk region amounted to:
- 9281 - per capita;
- 9811 - indicator for the adult population;
- 7503 - paid to pensioners;
- 9487 - a minimum for children.
The cost of living in the second quarter of 2017
By the second quarter of 2017, the minimum cost of living in the Irkutsk region increased slightly. On a per capita basis, its value reached 10.2 thousand rubles. This information is reflected in the decree of the regional government.
At the same time, the cost of living for other categories of citizens was as follows:
- children's living wage - 10 300 rubles;
- retirees laid - 8,200 rubles .;
- for the working-age population - 10 800 rubles.
Separately, the values were calculated for those areas of the Irkutsk region that are classified as regions of the Far North. For them, the values were as follows:
- per capita of the region, the value amounted to almost 12,300 rubles;
- for pensioners - 9 900 rubles;
- for the working-age population - 13,000 rubles;
- for children - 12 600 rubles.
The cost of living in the third quarter of 2017
In accordance with the data of the government’s decree (dated October 30 of this year), which reflects what cost of living was determined in the Irkutsk region for the 3rd quarter of 2017, its values were as follows:
- 10858 for the working-age population;
- 10,226 per capita;
- 10,388 per child;
- 8240 for retirees.
Some growth occurred relative to the indicators valid for the second quarter. Only the cost of living per child in the Irkutsk region fell slightly (by 0.02%). At the same time, the per capita indicator added 0.28% or 29 rubles.
Is the sum of a living wage the same everywhere in the region
Starting from 2008, the indicated indicator for individual parts of the region began to be established differentially. So what is the cost of living in the Irkutsk region for the northern regions?
The fact is that the Katanga region is classified as the territory of the Far North. Therefore, there, in the course of calculating this indicator, specialists are guided by indicators for the northern territory. In practice, the cost of living in this area is indeed slightly higher. This is due to difficulties with the transportation of food products, any food and other goods.
The main reasons for the separation of the Katanga region from the region at the legislative level are as follows:
- the highest prices for products, in contrast to other areas of the same region;
- the complexity of an objective assessment of real incomes of people;
- many families in need of state support, but with the old calculation methodology are not classified as poor.
Previously, the district had the lowest standard of living. Largely the reason for this was the biased provision of social support to people.
What is required for low-income pensioners
Such an instrument of regulation of state support, as a living wage, performs several important functions at once. These include the calculation of the allowance, which may be relied upon by a person receiving a social pension. In Irkutsk Oblast, only non-working pensioners can rely on it, whose pension does not reach the established quarterly level.
In the course of calculating the income of a person receiving a pension, the following are taken into account:
- monthly payments;
- supportive bonuses;
- additional social assistance.
Social protection determines the need for an allowance if the total amount of the listed payments is less than the current living wage for this category of citizens. Moreover, lump-sum payments during such calculations are not taken into account.
In addition, if a subsistence minimum is set in relation to pensioners in a certain subject of the federation than adopted at the federal level, then pensioners are entitled to additional payments that are already provided by the federal budget.
Its value changes annually taking into account economic realities. That is, the cost of living, defined at the level of federal law, is set only once a year, and not quarterly, as regional.
Support for low-income people
If a family or an individual citizen was recognized as poor, then we can safely count on the use of several measures of state support at once, namely:
- benefits when paying for utilities;
- additional support measures for children;
- queuing for housing;
- cash compensation and benefits;
- tax benefits;
- nutrition for lactating and pregnant women.
In each case, the magnitude of measures of such support is determined based on the current legislation in the region. One way or another, to get help requires regular visits and preparation of the required papers for social protection.
On the territory of the Irkutsk region, a number of changes occur annually in measures of social support for the population. Often a number of lump-sum payments are provided, for example, for families with children or citizens of retirement age.