Open
Close

The living wage of a pensioner, what is included in it. What is included in the cost of living: amount, list of goods and services

This question is quite difficult. Even though the standards are set by the state, they are still constantly changing. Therefore, these changes must be carefully monitored. As a rule, if a person does not have the minimum, he can be considered needy. In Russia, support from the state is provided for such citizens. So what is included in the cost of living? How much is it currently? What must every citizen of the country be provided with? More on all this further!

By category

To be honest, our question today includes a huge number of features. What is included in the cost of living in Russia for 2016? For starters, it's cash. These are the ones that are primarily understood as “minimum”.

The size of these is constantly changing. Moreover, a lot depends on what category of citizens you belong to. In Russia this is taken into account. So, for example, for children the indicator will be one, but for the working-age population it will be completely different. Where did this rule come from?

All this was invented based on the needs of a person at a particular period of life. The living wage should ensure a normal life for a citizen. So to speak, to supply him with the essentials for life and health without frills and luxury. More specifically, how much money is currently allocated to certain categories of citizens?

Money

It has already been said that the cost of living, at least in monetary terms, is constantly changing. You have to find out accurate information for a specific period of time. At the moment, this figure has increased slightly. At least for some people.

In the 1st quarter of 2016, per capita there were 9,776 rubles. It is with this amount that you will have to provide for your life. If you think about it, not so much (taking into account the constant rise in prices in Russia). But pensioners are less fortunate. For them, the monthly minimum was only 8,025 rubles.

Two more categories of citizens for whom the minimum monetary value has different meanings are the working-age population and children. The first are entitled to 10,524 rubles, and the second - 9,677 rubles. Such standards are currently established in Russia. Now it is clear how much the cost of living is for 2016 (Q1) in monetary terms. But don’t rush to rejoice!

Doesn't converge

Why? The whole problem is that in most cases it is simply impossible to provide a decent standard of living for the indicated amounts. Prices are only rising, and rapidly. At the same time, citizens' earnings decrease. And even if it rises, it does not keep up with the rate of price growth. Therefore, it can be very difficult to “survive”.

By the way, Russia is perhaps the only country where the “minimum for living” exceeds the minimum wage of the population. This is not very good. It makes almost no sense to think about the cost of living in the country when your earnings are not very high. Or he is average, but you have a lot of members in your family.

Nevertheless, this very minimum comes from somewhere! It’s not just something the government comes up with! Really. After all, there are some features and aspects that are included in the cost of living. Just for the amounts indicated earlier. In any case, the state believes that citizens should “meet” their monthly expenses.

Consumer basket

All this thanks to a developed system called the consumer basket. It includes everything that should be provided to citizens for normal life. Moreover, nothing depends on your desires - no personal preferences or delights! Please note: the calculation of the consumer basket takes into account a period of 12 months!

What is included in the cost of living? These are goods and services that provide a certain (minimum) standard of living of the population, taking into account the “life” of certain items. The consumer basket also depends on the category of citizens. And it includes three main components: products, non-food products and services. Now in Russia the rules established back in 2013 apply. For now, the consumer basket will not change. In any case, it is assumed that it will be valid until 2018. What's included? It is better to consider possible options for the working population. It is this that makes up the bulk of the country's inhabitants.

Products

A huge role (and a large share of the population) is played by able-bodied citizens. It is already clear from the monetary minimum that such persons are entitled to the most resources and services. So this is where the biggest numbers will be.

First of all, you should pay attention to the set of products. The consumer basket indicates only the most necessary components. And it doesn’t matter whether you use this or that component or not. According to the minimum, able-bodied citizens are entitled (in kilograms):

  • bread products - 126.5;
  • potatoes - 100.4;
  • vegetables - 114;
  • fruits - about 60;
  • sugar and “confectionery” - by 24;
  • 58.5 meat products, 19 fish products;
  • dairy products - almost 300 (more precisely, 290);
  • 210 eggs;
  • fats (margarine, butter, etc.) - 10.

Please note: bread products include a variety of cereals and pasta. Also included are legumes, bread, flour, and bakery products. Plus, about 5 kilograms are allocated for other “expenses”. This is our minimum set of products. Other food products include: salt, tea, coffee, various spices. In general, everything that can be eaten, as well as what is not included in the above detailed list.

Not food

What are the essential goods? And what is included in the list of non-food minimums? This includes:

  • outerwear (coat);
  • costume and dress component (upper);
  • underwear;
  • hats;
  • hosiery products;
  • shoes;
  • stationery (including school supplies);
  • bed sheets;
  • household goods;
  • essential goods (medicines, sanitary items).

Accordingly, everyone is also entitled to a certain number of them. Able-bodied citizens can count, accordingly, on the following indicators (the “lifetime” in years is indicated in quotes, pieces and pairs of components are taken into account):

  • 3 (7,5);
  • 8 (4);
  • 9 (2,4);
  • 7 (1,5)
  • 5 (5);
  • 6 (3,3);
  • 3 (1);
  • 14 (7);
  • 19 (10,4);
  • 10% of expenses for non-food products.

Services

The physiological subsistence level for the working population does not end there. It remains to consider the mandatory services that every citizen should receive on average per year. All this is not so difficult to understand, but remembering the exact data is not easy! So, the mandatory services include:

  • housing (18 square meters);
  • heating (6.7 Gcal);
  • water (cold and hot - 285 liters per day);
  • gas (10 cubic meters/month);
  • electricity (per month 50 kilowatts);
  • transport (620 trips per year);
  • "cultural" services (5% of expenses);
  • other (15% of expenses).

All of the above is a social subsistence minimum for citizens. More precisely, it takes into account only what is necessary for the average able-bodied person in the country. But there is only one huge drawback in this matter. Which one? Let's figure it out now.

Does not work

The whole problem is that often the entire consumer basket does not take into account the cost of services. That is, it is calculated based on the approximate average price tags in the country. But in different regions, different prices prevail for goods, products, and services.

Plus, if you think about it and divide, for example, food products by 12, you will get the indicators that a citizen should “consume” per month. It is almost impossible to “fit in” to the cost of living (in monetary terms). After all, the cost of services and goods in the regions is constantly increasing. And wages, as already mentioned, either decrease or remain unchanged.

This means that in practice it is almost impossible to provide yourself with everything you need with only minimal funds. Only if you buy only food products with them. And then the diet will not be too enriched. Thus, for the population, the established minimum living conditions seem like a complete mockery! Now it is clear what is included in the cost of living. The majority of the population does not agree with these indicators. It has already been said that it is extremely difficult to live within these restrictions!

- this is a certain set of goods and services that ensure a person’s comfortable and full-fledged living throughout the year and satisfy his minimum needs. The value of , which is revised every year depending on the price level, directly depends on the composition of the consumer basket.

What is included in the consumer basket in 2019?

The current Federal Law “On the consumer basket in the Russian Federation as a whole” was adopted by the State Duma on November 20, 2012. Article 1 establishes that the consumer basket is established at least once every 5 years. That is, this basket should have been revised by the beginning of 2018. However, Article 4 on the validity period was amended by Law No. 421-FZ of December 28, 2017, extending the validity of the “grocery set” until December 31, 2020 inclusive.

The consumer basket primarily includes food products, which make up about 50% of its cost (for comparison, in Western European countries, this figure does not exceed 20%). It is worth mentioning that most Russian families also spend more than half of their family income on food.

The second group includes non-food products - clothing, shoes, hats, linen, medicines.

Well, the third group of the consumer basket consists of services: utilities, transportation costs, cultural events, etc.

So, if you look at the table below, which shows the products and services included in the consumer basket for 2017, you will be convinced that, according to government calculations, a working-age citizen consumes 100.4 kg per year. potatoes, 114.6 kg. vegetables, 60 kg. fresh fruit, 126.5 kg. bread and bakery products, 58.6 kg. meat and 18.5 kg of fish products, respectively. Cultural services make up 5% of total monthly expenses.

What does this mean per person per day? This means that an ordinary average citizen of the Russian Federation for a normal existence must consume 300 g of bread per day, potatoes - 280 g, vegetables - 300 g, fresh fruits - 160 g, sweets - 60 g, milk and dairy products. products - 800 g, vegetable oil and fats - 40 g. And also eat one egg every 2 days, be content with 160 g of meat per day, and eat 350 g of fish per week. As for cultural development, here an able-bodied Russian citizen has the chance to go to the cinema or theater once a month for his subsistence minimum; there is no money provided for more for these purposes.

1. Food

NameUnitVolume of consumption (average per person per year)
Working populationpensionerschildren
Bread products (bread and pasta in terms of flour, flour, cereals, legumes)kg126,5 98,2 76,6
Potatokg100,4 80,0 88,1
Vegetables and melonskg114,6 98,0 112,5
Fresh fruitskg60,0 45,0 118,1
Sugar and confectionery products calculated as sugarkg23,8 21,2 21,8
Meat productskg58,6 54,0 44,0
Fish productskg18,5 16,0 18,6
Milk and dairy products expressed as milkkg 290,0 257,8 360,7
Eggsthing210,0 200,0 201,0
Vegetable oil, margarine and other fatskg11,0 10,0 5,0
Other products (salt, tea, spices)kg4,9 4,2 3,6

2. Non-food products

NameUnit of measurement/wear periodVolume of consumption (average per person)
working populationpensionerschildren
Upper coat grouppieces/years3/7,6 3/8,7 3/2,6
Upper suit and dress grouppieces/years8/4,2 8/5,0 11/2,0
Lingeriepieces/years9/2,4 10/2,9 11/1,8
Hosierycouples/years7/1,4 4/1,9 6/1,3
Hats and haberdasherypieces/years5/5,0 4/5,6 4/2,8
Shoescouples/years6/3,2 6/3,5 7/1,8
School writing suppliespieces/years3/1,0 3/1,0 27/1,0
Bed sheetspieces/years 14/7,0 14/7,0 14/7,0
Goods for cultural, household and household purposespieces/years19/10,5 19/10,5 19/10,5
Basic necessities, sanitation and medicinepercent of total expenses on non-food products per month10 15 12

3. Services

What is included in the cost of living in Moscow, and how to live on it, is a question that Muscovites often ask. If the amount of the subsistence minimum is even more or less clear, because it is recalculated quarterly, then finding out what is included in it, what products you can buy, is not an easy task.

The Moscow government calculates the needs of each specific category of citizens, and accordingly, for each of these categories its own cost of living is calculated.

Living wage, what is included in this amount?

For the working population, today it is 18,742 rubles. With this money, a metropolitan resident must manage to buy food, clothing, hygiene items for a month, and also take into account the costs of transport and utility bills. Yes, yes, if you doubted whether utilities are included in the cost of living or not, then yes, this item is included in the calculations of officials.

The ratio of expenses of the average Muscovite is approximately the following:

He spends 17% on industrial purposes. goods (household items, clothing, etc.);
41% goes to food;
42% for payment of housing and communal services.

There is an approximate list of which products are included in the subsistence level. Why exemplary? Because we are given freedom of choice. After all, even for this meager daily ration there is not enough money and you can not buy one egg, but buy half an apple. Do you need vitamins?

What is included in the cost of living for a pensioner?

For pensioners, the amount is 11,603 rubles/month. It is assumed that pensioners eat less, do not go to the cinema and they need money solely to pay bills and validol. Well, this amount should be enough if you tighten your belt as much as possible, don’t turn on the lights and use the shower once a week.

What is included in the cost of living for a child?

For children, the cost of living is 14,252 rubles. This takes into account the costs of transport, clothing, school stationery and food. There is even a line about the cultural leisure of children, such as classes in sections and visits to museums. Once a month, a child can go either to the cinema or to a museum. But there is no need for a child to buy toys; let him make something for himself during labor lessons.

On average, in our country, half of citizens’ incomes are spent on food; in Europe, about 20% are spent on this. And so I think, maybe we eat too much?

The living wage is a certain amount of income of citizens, on which their standard of living directly depends. In general, this indicator includes consumer needs and utility bills. There are these types of indicators:

  • vital. It is based on basic human needs, in particular food, clothing and health;
  • social. This includes benefits to maintain a decent standard of living.

Together, these two types are characteristics of the minimum needs of Russians necessary to maintain a normal lifestyle. However, often the indicators are quite low and people do not have enough of this.

To calculate the cost of living, the following is analyzed:

  1. The standard of living of Russians in accordance with the region in which they live.
  2. Implementation of political and economic programs that operate in Russia and are aimed at improving the lives of the population.
  3. Percentage of citizens who need financial assistance from the state.

What is included in the cost of living in Russia

The living wage is determined at the federal and regional levels. The value of this indicator is set by the government, and for specific regions - by local governments. Both of them record indicators in accordance with the legal framework of the country. Neither local governments nor the government of the Russian Federation can independently establish characteristics that do not meet the requirements of the law.

Let us note that this is a rather scrupulous and complex process of determining the living wage for citizens.

The concept is based on a consumer basket containing information and calculations based on cost data:

  • the required set of products;
  • essential goods, including clothing, shoes and personal hygiene items;
  • medical and utility services.

Calculations must be updated once every 5 years. However, in Russia this happens every year. This enables the government to assess the well-being of citizens.

The pricing policy of the consumer basket is influenced by the following factors:

  • climatic conditions of the region;
  • national traditions that influence nutrition, as well as other services of citizens.

Consequently, each region has its own composition of the consumer basket. The necessary calculations are carried out by a special group of economists, which constitutes an assessment commission.

Composition of the consumer basket for 2016

The cost of the consumer basket is calculated using an algorithm. This includes prices for food and non-food items along with essential services. The monthly indicator is calculated in this way: the approximate annual volume is divided by 12. Next, the resulting amount is multiplied by the average prices of goods and services established by the commission. All these results are added up, after which the cost of the consumer basket comes out.

So, this year the food basket includes products such as bread, eggs, vegetables, fruits, meat and fish, sugar and baked goods, butter, spices and drinks (tea, coffee). Their weight is calculated and divided into groups: children, pensioners, able-bodied Russians.

The non-food group of goods consists of:

  • cloth;
  • underwear;
  • shoes;
  • tights, socks;
  • bed;
  • medicines;
  • household chemicals.

The value of the indicator is also affected by payment for:

  • housing;
  • use of water, gas, heating, electricity;
  • transport;
  • cultural events;
  • other types of services.

What is included in the cost of living for a child and a pensioner in the Russian Federation?

It should be noted that for a pensioner and a child, the consumer basket consists of the same products and services as for able-bodied people. The only difference is in quantity. For example, the amount of food per child per year is:

  1. Pasta and bread – 76.6 kg.
  2. Potatoes – 88 kg.
  3. Vegetables – 112 kg.
  4. Fruits – 118 kg.
  5. Meat – 44 kg.
  6. Fish – 18 kg.
  7. Sugar and confectionery – 22 kg.
  8. Milk – 360 g.
  9. Eggs – 201 pieces.
  10. Fats – 5 kg.
  11. Coffee, tea – 3 kg.

From non-food products it is necessary (pcs./year):

  • outerwear – 12/2.
  • linen – 12/2.
  • socks – 6/1.
  • haberdashery – 5/3.
  • shoes – 8/2.
  • stationery – 28/2.
  • bed linen in sets – 15/7.
  • personal hygiene items – 13/1.

As for utilities, for one child you need: 19 sq. m of housing space, 7 Gcal per year of heat, 289 l/day of water, 11 m 3 of gas per month, 52 kW/h of electricity, 389 pcs/year of trips in public transport and 7% of cultural needs.

For pensioners the figures are slightly different. This is understandable, because there are completely different age groups and, therefore, different needs. So, the minimum number of products per year for people of retirement age:

  • 98 kg of potatoes;
  • 98 kg of vegetables;
  • 98 kg cereals;
  • 60 kg of fruit;
  • 21 kg of sugar;
  • 54 kg of meat;
  • 16 kg of fish;
  • 290 kg of dairy products;
  • 200 eggs;
  • 10 kg fat;
  • 4.2 kg of tea and coffee.

Surely each of us has at least once heard the words “minimum consumer basket” and “living wage”. Many people know that these indicators are used to calculate subsidies and payments. But not everyone knows what is included in the cost of living and what the consumer basket consists of.

The minimum consumer basket includes not only food, as it might seem at first glance, but also a number of non-food products and services. School and writing supplies, shoes, hats, electricity, transport services, basic necessities and much more - this is what is included in the consumer basket. It regulates the quantity and timing of food consumption separately for children, separately for working adults, and separately for pensioners.

For example, it is estimated that an able-bodied person should consume 133.7 kg of bread, cereals and pasta per year. The same figure for a child is 84 kg.

In addition to flour, this list includes potatoes, vegetables and fruits, confectionery and sugar, butter and vegetable oil, meat, dairy and seafood, eggs, salt, spices and tea. As you can see, the list is quite complete and the menu is quite varied. Another thing is that the number of products leaves much to be desired. For example, an adult is entitled to only 23 kg of fruit per year - approximately 600 grams. for 10 days. Or take the same sugar with confectionery products. It is supposed to be 22.2 kg per year, which corresponds to 60 grams. per day - two tablespoons of sugar or a tablespoon of sugar and a couple of cookies. Of course, with such figures it is impossible to talk about decent living.

The picture is approximately the same: An able-bodied adult is entitled to 3 items from the top coat group (which includes coats, jackets, fur coats) for 7.6 years. And 5 pairs of tights, stockings or socks per year.

What is included and how is it related to the consumer basket? In fact, the cost of living is the consumer basket expressed in monetary terms. In some places milk costs 30 rubles, in others 50. Based on the real prices for products and services in each region, the minimum subsistence level is calculated. In total, 33 types of food products, 85 types of goods for family and individual use and services - this is all that is included in the subsistence level.

For some, it will probably be surprising that the highest cost of living is not in the capital and St. Petersburg, but in the Chukotka and Nenets Autonomous Okrugs and the Kamchatka Territory. This is due to the high prices for the most necessary products. And vice versa, the lowest is in the southern regions, where prices for fruits and vegetables are lower.

Why is it important to know what is included in the cost of living and how much it is? Low-income families whose average per capita income is below this indicator can apply for subsidies for housing and utilities, and have the right to receive targeted assistance. Mothers on maternity leave, whose income does not reach this minimum, can receive free food for the baby, as well as small financial assistance from the state.

It is no secret that the cost of living includes payment for utilities, central heating, and utilities. True, if you believe the calculations, one person in a family is entitled to 18 square meters. m. total area of ​​the apartment. Of course, if people live as a family of 2-3 people in a one-room apartment, each person will have 18 square meters or even less. But for the elderly and lonely, living in apartments of 35-36 square meters. meters is difficult, since real utility bills will be significantly higher than calculated.

In general, the cost of living determines how much money a person needs to minimally satisfy all his needs.