MINSK, 13 November (BelTA) – Belarusian Labor and Social Security Minister Natalya Pavlyuchenko outlined the planned 2026 budget for the Social Security Fund during an expanded meeting of the Standing Commission on Budget and Finance of the House of Representatives, BelTA has learned.
Revenues for the 2026 Social Security Fund budget are planned at Br39 billion, up Br3.8 billion from the current year, an increase of almost 11%. Natalya Pavlyuchenko stated that the main source of revenue traditionally remains insurance contributions, which make up about 93% of the fund's budget.
“Major contribution payers are individual entrepreneurs, along with another category that is gradually occupying a larger share of the fund's revenue - payers who transfer a portion of their professional income tax to the fund. The budget also includes projected revenue from professional pension insurance contributions, a trend driven by an increasing number of workers in special labor conditions selecting a wage supplement in lieu of pension savings. In January-September 2025, there were already 169,000 such workers, representing almost 51% of all those employed in special conditions, whereas in 2023-2024 there were over 140,000 (about 40%),” the minister said.
A classic component of the fund's budget is a subvention from the national budget amounting to almost Br2 billion, which constitutes about 5% of revenues. These funds compensate for the fund's non-insurance expenditures, while insurance contributions are used to increase insurance-related spending items. She emphasized that the fund has been operating with a surplus since 2023 and is self-sufficient.
The fund's budget expenditures amount to Br38.5 billion, an increase of Br5.7 billion, which is 17.3% more compared to the previous period. About 81% of expenditures are allocated to pensions, amounting to about Br31 billion, up Br4.9 billion more than in 2025, representing a growth of about 18.5%.
There are 2.4 million pensioners in the country, of whom 2 million receive labor pensions. Pension expenditures also include social payments totaling about Br0.5 billion, which constitutes 1.6% of all expenditures - these are received by approximately 86,000 pensioners. The average pension amount will increase by 14.5% next year to reach Br1,107, whereas this year it is planned at Br942.
Foreign pensions for 2026 amount to Br288 million. There are 35,000 foreign pensioners living in the country who receive pensions under international agreements. “About 14,000 Belarusian pensioners reside abroad. A slight increase is observed in both these groups. It is noteworthy that among the foreign pensioners living in Belarus, there is an increase in the number of people from Lithuania and Latvia, more than 200 people from each country,” Natalya Pavlyuchenko said.
Expenditures on benefits constitute 18% of the fund's budget expenditures, almost Br7 billion, with a growth of almost 13%. Of the total benefit amount, 53% is allocated to childbirth and child-rearing payments - Br3.7 billion. This sum includes one-time childbirth benefits - Br644 million with 7% growth. Monthly childcare benefits for children up to three years old amount to Br2.3 billion with 11% growth. The recipients of such benefits are 172,000 people, and the average benefit amount in the country is quite comfortable. For the first child, the planned average benefit amount is Br1,045.
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