Changes in laws that come into force in the last month of winter are named
The coming February is an unusual month. If only because it has 29 days — and this, as you know, does not happen every year. It is unique in its own way from the point of view of legislative and administrative innovations that come into force starting this month. The main and very pleasant feature of the coming February for Russians is the “carpet” indexation of literally all social payments to last year’s inflation. As the government has calculated, from the first day of the month, an increase in payments awaits recipients of more than 40 types of benefits, and this will affect about 20 million Russians. However, the upcoming February is not remarkable for its benefits alone. Important changes await citizens who apply for loans, deal with debt collectors, and have access to state secrets… Experts commented on the details of February's legislative changes for MK.
More than 40 types of benefits and compensation will be increased by 7.4% from February 1. The indexation amount corresponds to the inflation rate for 2023. According to the government decree, payments, benefits and compensation will be indexed:
— for disabled people; veterans; families with children; Chernobyl victims and other liquidators of nuclear accidents;
— Heroes of the Soviet Union, Heroes of the Russian Federation, Heroes of Labor and full holders of the Order of Glory.
At the same time, the amount of funeral benefits will increase. Indexation will also affect the minimum and maximum amounts of unemployment benefits. In total, the indexation of social payments and benefits will affect over 20 million Russians.
“From the beginning of February, social payments, benefits and compensation will be indexed by 7.4%. This is exactly the size of last year's inflation. That is, in fact, indexation will act as a tool for protecting the incomes and living standards of Russians. It will allow those citizens who are entitled to social payments to maintain purchasing power, even if goods and services become more expensive. With the help of indexation for inflation in 2024, socially vulnerable categories of citizens will be able to buy approximately the same necessary set of goods as last year.”
On February 1, maternity capital will be indexed by 7.4%. At the same time, the amount of maternity capital for the first child will increase by 43.4 thousand rubles, and for the second child — by 57.4 thousand rubles.
Thus, the amount of maternity capital in 2024 will be: 630.4 thousand . rubles for the first child; 833 thousand rubles — for the second child; 202.6 thousand rubles — additional payment for the second child, if payment for the first was received earlier.
“The topic of indexing maternity capital in Russia is relevant and important from the point of view of demographic policy and social development of the country. Indexation of maternal capital is a mechanism for increasing its size in accordance with inflation and changes in consumer prices. The introduction of maternity capital in 2007 was recognized as one of Russia’s successful social measures, helping to increase the birth rate. The main goal of maternity capital indexation is to protect its real value from inflation and provide families with higher financial support when having children. It is worth understanding that it is always difficult to keep up with prices for services and real estate, even when indexed at the level of official inflation. Since the key task today is to avoid a demographic catastrophe, I consider it advisable to consider the issue of doubling the amount of maternity capital in regions with a very noticeable outflow of population.»
From February 1, the size of monthly cash payments (MCP) for the category of federal beneficiaries will increase by 7.4%. This will affect veterans of the Great Patriotic War, Heroes of Russia, the USSR and Heroes of Labor, Chernobyl survivors, disabled people of all three groups and some other categories, a full list of which is presented on the website of the Social Fund of Russia (SFR). The specific amount of payments and the cost of a set of social services for beneficiaries will depend on the region of residence. In addition, the amount of the payment depends on the category of beneficiaries to which the pensioner belongs and the method of receiving the set of social services (NSS). If a person used NSU in kind, then the EDV will be less. The set of social services includes free medicines and medical products, vouchers for sanatorium treatment, and free travel. Currently, the NSU amount is 1,469.74 rubles. If a person refuses to receive services in kind, he will be given an additional payment to the EDV.
“The EDV is increased every year by the amount of inflation to compensate recipients for the increased prices. The 7.4% increase in EDV is intended to index the rise in living costs for 1.1 million people receiving federal benefits. The difference in specific amounts by region is determined, first of all, by differences in the cost of a set of goods and services in these territories. The indexation amount is average, but each specific person has his own inflation: according to changes in the prices of purchases made by him. Often their cost for people classified as federal beneficiaries increases more than consumer prices in general. Recipients of compensation for NSO have the opportunity to choose its in-kind or monetary expression. Depending on what is more necessary for a particular person. Here, as in Yuri Levitansky: “Everyone chooses for himself.” If, say, the high costs of medicines and treatment in a sanatorium are not so relevant, it makes sense to prefer cash payments. If you refuse the social package in kind, the amount of EDV will be higher. In this case, it will increase in 2024 as follows. For war invalids instead of 5611.75 rubles. – up to 7081.49 rub. Disabled people of group 1 will accordingly be able to receive not 3488.21 rubles, but 4957.95 rubles. Group 2 disabled people and disabled children — not 2071.02 rubles, but 3540.76 rubles. Disabled people of group 3 – not 1364.66 rubles, but 2834.40 rubles.”
On February 1, a new law on collectors comes into force in Russia. It makes significant changes to the regulation of collection of overdue debts. Collectors will be able to face criminal liability in the event of threats of physical violence, destruction of property, dissemination of defamatory information, demands to transfer valuables, or for other actions that violate the rights of the debtor and his relatives.
In addition, they are limited in “telephone terror.» Since February, they have no right to contact the debtor on weekdays from 22:00 to 8:00. Contacts are also prohibited on weekends and holidays from 20:00 to 9:00 local time at the debtor’s place of residence. Moreover, personal meetings are allowed only once a week.
According to the new law, creditors are required to provide the following information during each telephone conversation: last name, first name and patronymic of the representative; last name, first name and patronymic (or name) of the creditor; information about the presence of overdue debt, its size and structure; information about the collection agency.
To operate, collection agencies must be registered in the register maintained by the Federal Bailiff Service.
“The government is systematically introducing new restrictions on the work of collectors. There have been significantly fewer high-profile stories of people trying to get into someone’s apartment at night or damaging their property. However, they did not disappear completely. In the regions, there are still “excesses” in the work of collectors: funeral wreaths with the name of the debtor, nailing up the front door, etc. Criminal liability will significantly reduce the ardor of those who use openly criminal methods in their work. Before this, such actions of collectors were actually in a gray zone. Meanwhile, threatening physical harm and spreading misinformation about the debtor is already beyond the bounds of the law. However, such methods of “collection” were often specified in the borrower’s contract, and the debtor assumed such risks by signing the document. Now, from February 1, collectors must avoid aggressive methods of influencing the debtor. You can hold debt collectors accountable by writing a complaint to the National Association of Professional Collection Agencies, the Federal Bailiff Service (FSSP), as well as to the prosecutor's office if violence was used. Interaction with relatives or other guarantors of the debtor can occur only with their consent — at the moment when the debtor took out the loan. And after 4 months of late payments, the debtor may completely refuse any interaction with debt collectors. Such a refusal is also formalized by a letter addressed to the collection agency.»
From February 1, the loan recipient will be able to refuse insurance when applying for a consumer loan within 30 calendar days, and not 14, as previously. In addition, the borrower will have the right not only to refuse the insurance contract, but also to return the insurance premium in whole or in part.
“On the one hand, the news that the borrower will now be able to refuse insurance when applying for a consumer loan within 30 calendar days cannot but rejoice. Sometimes the previous 14 days were not enough to simply get to the bank, although it seems that this is quite simple. A month should certainly be enough, not only to refuse insurance, but also to think carefully about whether such an insurance product is needed or whether it will only make monthly payments heavier.
But, on the other hand, given the extremely low level of financial literacy of Russians, this innovation may go unnoticed. Unfortunately, many of us simply do not know that consumer credit insurance can be waived, moreover, that there is no such compulsory insurance when receiving a loan. Usually it is of a recommendatory nature, but from the position of an intrusive manager, this naturally sounds like a mandatory condition. Banks have already made good money on misselling, so borrowers need to be as legally literate as possible; imposing additional services when lending to individuals is still a relevant topic.”
From February 1, banks will be required to inform their clients that their deposit period is expiring. Previously, most banks, if they did this, did so only on a voluntary basis. Meanwhile, many bank clients often forget that their deposit term is expiring — especially if its term is measured in years. From the beginning of the next month, banking organizations will be required to inform the depositor about the expiration of the deposit no later than 5 calendar days before the expiration date of the agreement. Information will be provided free of charge through the information channel that the investor specified in the agreement with the financial institution.
“Investors should definitely benefit from this innovation. It often happens that they forget to look at the contract to clarify the expiration date of the deposit, but large sums must be ordered from the bank in advance. But now the bank is obliged to remind the depositor about the expiration dates of the deposit. Otherwise, the investor risks receiving less income. For banks, such an additional obligation, of course, is not a plus — the bank does not gain anything fundamental from the innovation, except the loyalty of some depositors. But on the other hand, it may, although not very much, increase the costs of personnel or additional automation of communication functions with depositors.”
People who have foreign citizenship or a residence permit abroad, starting from February 1, will not be allowed to access state secrets. In addition, the President of Russia will have the right to change the established procedure for access to state secrets not only during a state of emergency, but also during periods of mobilization and martial law.
The new norms also provide for restricting the right to leave Russia for Russian parliamentarians who have access to state secrets and top secret information.
The decision to limit the right to leave deputies and senators will be made by the speakers of the State Duma and the Federation Council. With regard to regional deputies, such a decision will be made by the heads of legislative assemblies. And in relation to the heads of municipalities — the heads of the regions. Judges may also be restricted from traveling by decision of the Supreme Court and in agreement with the Presidium of the Council of Judges.
“This initiative is completely in the spirit of our difficult times, corresponds to the difficult geopolitical situation, and special bodies will certainly be involved in checking compliance with such a norm. Why this is being done is also obvious: so that a citizen who has access to state secrets will not be able to stay abroad during a business trip or will not become the object of close attention of the intelligence services of unfriendly states.”
From February 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025, Rosalkogoltabakcontrol will conduct on-site inspections of those beer producers that were automatically included in the register of brewers. The register became operational on September 1, 2023 as a tool to combat illegal beer trafficking. Brewers not included in the register do not have the right to produce beer products, and those included in the register must be ready to provide evidence during the inspection that the declared production capacity coincides with the actual one.
“In the beer production sector in our country, about 20% of drinks are counterfeit, that is, a product produced without complying with the requirements for the production of such alcohol. And inspections should strengthen control in this area in order to prevent the appearance of beer on sale that will harm the health of the consumer.»
Starting in February, the deadline for eliminating registry errors in the Unified State Register of Real Estate ( EGRN) are reduced from three to one month from the moment the decision on the need for correction is sent to the copyright holder. In addition, previously Rosreestr could not correct a registry error in information about a land plot if, as a result, the area of the plot had to change by more than 5%. Now, based on the results of correcting the registry error, it is allowed to increase the area of the plot by no more than 10% or reduce it by no more than 5% relative to the area indicated in the Unified State Register of Real Estate.
Starting from February, they will include data on that the residential premises are located in an apartment building that is recognized as unsafe and subject to demolition, or that it is unsuitable for living.