Since July 1, 2023, as part of the implementation of the Social Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (hereinafter referred to as the Code), some types of state benefits and long–term social payments from the State Social Insurance Fund (hereinafter referred to as the SSIF) have been increased by 14.5%. Thus, taking into account the previously made increase of 8.5%, the increase in benefits and payments in 2023 amounted to 23%. The increase affected 1.3 million recipients. In addition, measures have been further strengthened to provide technical equipment and rehabilitation services for people with disabilities.

Thus, since July 1, 2023, the amount of state social benefits for disability and loss of a breadwinner has been increased by an average of 14.5%. As of January 1, 2024, 536,083 people received disability benefits in the amount of 221.8 billion tenge, 188,138 people received survivor's benefits in the amount of 62.1 billion tenge.

Also, as part of the implementation of the Code, the amount of benefits assigned and paid to a mother or father, an adoptive parent, or a guardian raising a child with a disability (children with disabilities) was increased by an average of 14.5%. Its amount from July 1, 2023 amounted to 1.61 subsistence minimum, or 65,313 tenge. In total, in 2023, more than 103 thousand people received benefits in the amount of 77.3 billion tenge.

The state benefit for a person caring for a person with a disability of the first group was increased by 14.5%. It was received by an average of 42 thousand people in the amount of 31.7 billion tenge.

In addition, since July 1, 2023, the amount of special state benefits for the following categories of citizens has been increased by an average of 14.5%:

- persons with disabilities (hereinafter referred to as PWD) of the first, second and third groups who have been assigned age pension payments or superannuation pension payments, with the exception of those receiving an additional payment to age pension payments up to the amount of a monthly disability allowance;

- children with disabilities under the age of seven living in Baikonur and receiving a disability pension in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation;

- victims of political repression or persons who have suffered from political repression, have disabilities or are pensioners;

- persons who have been awarded pensions for special services to the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In total, in 2023, on average, more than 106 thousand citizens of these categories received a special state benefit in the amount of 4.6 billion tenge.

As part of the implementation of the Code, the amount of the benefit for mothers awarded the Altyn Alka pendant, the Orders of Maternal Glory of the I and II degrees, with the title of "Mother Heroine", has been increased to 7.4 monthly calculation index. In total, in 2023, an average of more than 233 thousand people received the benefit of the awarded mother in the amount of 64.2 billion tenge.

Along with this, payments from the State Social Inusrance Fund for disability (92 thousand recipients were covered) and for the loss of a breadwinner (61 thousand families were covered) were indexed by 14.5%. These payments are made by a participant in the compulsory social insurance system in addition to the state benefits from the budget.

At the same time, from January 1, 2024, all types of state benefits, as well as payments from the State Social Inusrance Fund for disability and loss of a breadwinner, have been increased by 7% in accordance with the projected inflation rate.

Additional social support measures have been taken as part of the implementation of the Code:

PWD diagnosed with Spinabifida are provided with lubricated single-use catheters in the amount of 6 pieces per day (2 190 pcs. per year). By the end of the year, 79 people with disabilities were able to order new types of catheters;

- for PWD, the number of diapers has been doubled (from 2 to 4 pieces per day). At the end of the year, 404 people carried out the order;

- children with mental disorders are given the opportunity for sanatorium treatment. At the end of the year, 194 children with disabilities have used it.

In total, 461 055 measures were implemented for people with disabilities last year to provide technical means and rehabilitation services.

Also, since July 1, 2023, local executive bodies or other legal entities have been transferring mandatory pension contributions and contributions to mandatory social health insurance, as well as mandatory social contributions for individual assistants caring for the first group of PWD who have difficulty with movement.

Payment for the services of an individual assistant is made for the actual time of rendering services, but no more than eight hours a day. For 2024, the guaranteed cost is 503.59 tenge per hour, for 24 working days – 96 689 tenge.

At the same time, when assigning a basic pension and age pension payments, the periods for which mandatory pension contributions were made, as well as the time of caring for a person with a disability of the first group, are counted in the length of participation in the pension system.

One of the areas of work within the framework of the transformation of the social service system provided for in the Code is the creation of small–capacity houses (hereinafter - SCH). Thus, as part of the pilot project for the provision of special social services with the involvement of the private sector, SCH for children with disabilities have been opened in six regions of Kazakhstan: in Akmola, West Kazakhstan, Karaganda, Turkestan regions, Astana and Shymkent.

As part of the implementation of the Code, since December 15, 2023, a pilot project has been launched to create parks of technical rehabilitation equipment (hereinafter referred to as TRE) in 4 regions: Abai, Pavlodar, Kyzylorda regions and Shymkent, where children with musculoskeletal disorders participate in the first stage.

In the same regions, the project "Home rehabilitation" will be implemented jointly with the public foundation "Kazakhstan Khalkyna". The main goal of the project is to improve the quality of life of children with musculoskeletal disorders through continuous rehabilitation and individual selection of innovative TRE.

Source: the Internet resource of the MLSPP https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/enbek/press/news/details/697443 ?lang=ru