Gradual increase of the retirement age (2018)

Stated objective

According to the President’s address of 29 August 2018 and the Minister of Labour at first reading

Main measures

• The general age for the old-age insurance pension rises from 60 to 65 for men and from 55 to 60 for women: people reaching the former age in 2019 wait 12 more months, in 2020 24 months, in 2021 36 months, in 2022 48 months and from 2023 60 months (annex 6 of the insurance pensions law).[1][12]
• Transitional relief: people who would have reached the pension age under the former rules between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2020 may receive their pension up to six months before the new age.[1][2]
• Long careers: with at least 42 years (men) or 37 years (women) of insurance record, the pension can start 24 months before the new age, but not before 60 and 55.[1]
• Mothers who raised four children to the age of 8 can retire at 56, and those who raised three at 57, with at least 15 years of insurance record; mothers of five or more keep retirement at 50, according to the presidential amendments.[1][9]
• Workers with at least 15 calendar years in the Far North (or 20 in equivalent areas): the age rises from 55 to 60 for men and from 50 to 55 for women, with the same steps.[1][13]
• The age for the social (non-contributory) old-age pension rises from 65 to 70 for men and from 60 to 65 for women, on the same timetable (annex 1 of the state pension provision law).[1]
• Pre-retirement age: in employment law, people within five years of their pension age (two years before) get specific protections; the Pension Fund shares their status electronically with authorities and, with their consent, employers.[1][2]
• Unemployed people with at least 25 years (men) or 20 years (women) of insurance record, dismissed when their employer closes or cuts staff, can receive a pension up to two years before their age, on the proposal of the employment service; the maximum unemployment benefit for people of pre-retirement age rises from 4,900 to 11,280 roubles from 1 January 2019.[1][2][9]
• Insurance pensions are indexed from 1 January each year from 2019 to 2024 (instead of 1 February); the value of one pension point is set at 87.24 roubles in 2019 and the fixed payment at 5,334.19 roubles a month.[1][10]
• Unchanged: people who reached the pension age before 1 January 2019 keep their rights under the former rules, and the funded pension remains payable from 60 (men) and 55 (women).[1][9]

Timeline

1. June 16, 2018Under debate

   Government bill introduced in the State Duma[2][8]

2. July 19, 2018

   Bill approved at first reading by the State Duma[3][9]

   The bill then raised the age to 65 for men and to 63 for women. The Minister of Labour described a transition until 2028 for men and 2034 for women. The deadline for amendments was extended to 24 September.

3. August 21, 2018

   Parliamentary and public hearings in the State Duma[4][9]

   More than 600 participants, including the Accounts Chamber, trade unions and employers; a working group was set up to prepare the second reading.

4. August 29, 2018

   Televised address of the President proposing to soften the bill[2]

   He proposed raising the women’s age by five years instead of eight, early retirement for mothers of three or more children, a six-month relief for people due to retire in the next two years and a five-year pre-retirement period with extra job protection.

5. September 6, 2018

   President’s amendments submitted to the State Duma[8][9]

   9 of the 324 amendments received by the labour committee came from the President.

6. September 25, 2018

   Companion law: criminal liability for dismissing or refusing to hire people because of pre-retirement age[9]

   Passed by the State Duma at third reading; proposed by the President.

7. September 26, 2018

   Second reading: presidential amendments adopted unanimously[8][9]

   385 votes for the President’s amendments, none against; 326 votes for the bill as amended.

8. September 27, 2018

   Law passed by the State Duma at third reading[10]

   333 deputies voted in favour.

9. October 3, 2018Adopted

   Approved by the Federation Council and signed by the President[1][10]

   Passed by the State Duma on 27 September 2018 (third reading, 333 votes in favour); published the same day on the official legal information portal.

10. January 1, 2019In force

    Entry into force[1][11]

    Phased in until 2028, when the general ages reach 65 for men and 60 for women.

11. January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2020

    Transitional relief: pension up to six months early[1][12]

    People who reached the former pension age in 2019 or 2020 could claim their pension up to six months before their new age (60 and 6 months for men, 55 and 6 months for women in the first wave).

12. January 1, 2019 – 2028Current step

    Phase-in of the new pension ages[12][11]

    The general age reaches 63 and 58 in 2024, 64 and 59 in 2026, and 65 and 60 in 2028 (men and women). In the first half of 2019, the second half of 2020, the first half of 2021, the second half of 2022 and in 2023, 2025 and 2027, no one becomes entitled at the general age, according to the Social Fund of Russia.

13. 2028Upcoming: the outcome is not known

    End of the phase-in: general pension age 65 for men and 60 for women[11][12]

    Men born in 1963 or later and women born in 1968 or later, according to the Social Fund of Russia.

14. 2034Upcoming: the outcome is not known

    Civil servants: women’s pension age reaches 63[11][1]

    For state and municipal civil servants, the increase started in 2017; the 2018 law extends it for women to 8 years above the former age (annex 5 of the insurance pensions law).

The debate

Citoyen takes no position: arguments are reported as their authors put them.

Indicators to watch

• Employment rate of people aged 55-64 · ILOSee the card →
• Population aged 65 and over (% of total) · World BankSee the card →
• Life expectancy at birth · World BankSee the card →
• Employment rate · World BankSee the card →
• Number of pensioners and average pension of non-working pensioners · Социальный фонд России / Росстатno Citoyen card yet

Sources

1. [1]Федеральный закон от 03.10.2018 № 350-ФЗ «О внесении изменений в отдельные законодательные акты Российской Федерации по вопросам назначения и выплаты пенсий» –Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (publication.pravo.gov.ru), October 3, 2018
2. [2]Обращение Президента к гражданам России –Президент России (kremlin.ru), August 29, 2018
3. [3]Одобрен в первом чтении проект закона о совершенствовании пенсионной системы –Государственная Дума (duma.gov.ru), July 19, 2018
4. [4]Парламентско-общественные слушания по совершенствованию пенсионного законодательства. Текстовая трансляция –Государственная Дума (duma.gov.ru), August 21, 2018
5. [5]Алексей Кудрин: мы должны ставить цель, чтобы пенсия была от 60 до 70% от заработной платы –Государственная Дума (duma.gov.ru), August 21, 2018
6. [6]Лидеры фракций высказались о совершенствовании пенсионного законодательства –Государственная Дума (duma.gov.ru), August 21, 2018
7. [7]В ГД прокомментировали обращение Президента по вопросу совершенствования пенсионного законодательства –Государственная Дума (duma.gov.ru), August 29, 2018
8. [8]ГД единогласно поддержала поправки Президента к законопроекту о совершенствовании пенсионной системы –Государственная Дума (duma.gov.ru), September 26, 2018
9. [9]Законопроект по совершенствованию пенсионной системы принят во втором чтении –Государственная Дума (duma.gov.ru), September 26, 2018
10. [10]Закон о совершенствовании пенсионной системы принят Государственной Думой –Государственная Дума (duma.gov.ru), September 27, 2018
11. [11]Условия назначения страховой пенсии по старости –Социальный фонд России (sfr.gov.ru)
12. [12]Поэтапное изменение условий назначения страховой пенсии по старости с 2015 года –Социальный фонд России (sfr.gov.ru)
13. [13]Федеральный закон от 28.12.2013 N 400-ФЗ «О страховых пенсиях», статья 32 (действующая редакция) –КонсультантПлюс · secondary source