In March 2025, Russian pensioners marked a significant change in the structure of their pension payments. Data from the Russian Social Fund reveals a substantial difference in the average pension amounts between working and non-working pensioners. This difference amounts to a notable 2,800 rubles in favor of non-working pensioners.
In March 2025, the average pension across the country reached 23,238 rubles — 2,400 rubles more than in March 2024, when it was 20,824 rubles. This demonstrates a positive, albeit not rapid, growth. However, a closer look at the underlying figures presents a more complex and nuanced picture.
When dividing pensioners into two groups — working and non-working — we find significant disparities. The average pension for working pensioners in March 2025 was 20,972 rubles, while non-working pensioners received significantly more, at 23,794 rubles. This 2,822 ruble difference highlights the impact of continued employment on pension payments.
However, the growth dynamics in these two groups differ markedly. Looking at annual growth, pensions for working pensioners saw a more substantial increase. In March 2024, the average pension for working pensioners was 17,300 rubles, indicating a growth of 3,600 rubles in the year — much higher than the growth for non-working pensioners.
The average pension for non-working pensioners in March 2024 was 21,643 rubles, showing a year-on-year increase of 2,151 rubles. Thus, while non-working pensioners currently receive more, the growth rate of pensions for working pensioners is higher.
This situation is directly linked to the law signed by President Vladimir Putin in 2024, which reinstated the indexation of pensions for working pensioners. This indexation, suspended since 2016, was resumed in 2025.
It is important to note that in 2025, working pensioners receive their insurance pension and an additional payment calculated as of December 31, 2024, without taking into account the missed funds from previous years.
Payments for the period between 2016 and 2024 will be credited to working pensioners only after they stop working. This mechanism, aimed at stimulating labor activity among pensioners, simultaneously creates a situation where the current pension amount for working pensioners lags behind that of non-working pensioners, despite higher growth rates.
Thus, Russia’s pension system presents a complex and multifaceted model, the impact of which on pensioners’ lives is determined by various factors, including their continued labor activity after retirement.
Moreover, the discrepancy in pension amounts between working and non-working pensioners raises important questions for the government regarding the fairness and effectiveness of the pension system as a whole.
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