Yakutia doubles family benefits to combat declining birth rates

Aisen Nikolayev has highlighted the urgent need to address declining birth rates in Yakutia during his annual address to the region’s State Assembly. While the area still leads Russia’s Far Eastern regions in births, officials are taking steps to boost family support with increased funding and benefits. Yakutia currently ranks 10th nationwide for birth rates, with nearly half of all children born into large families. One in five households has three or more children, totalling 34,500 large families across the region.

To encourage larger families, the regional government has doubled the 'Family' maternal capital payment for the birth of a third or subsequent child. The amount now stands at 316,200 rubles. Over 22,000 large families are already receiving social benefits this year. Nikolayev admitted past delays in benefit payments due to budget issues but confirmed that disbursements have now returned to schedule. He stressed that Yakutia’s population policy remains unchanged, regardless of external challenges. The government has allocated over 5 billion rubles in 2025 to support families, with a focus on helping young people choose to have children. During his speech, Nikolayev referenced Vladimir Putin’s call to preserve and grow Russia’s population. He reiterated that family support remains the government’s top priority.

The measures include increased financial aid and a commitment to timely benefit payments. With 34,500 large families in the region, officials aim to sustain Yakutia’s position as a leader in birth rates within the Far East. The government’s 5-billion-ruble investment underscores its focus on long-term demographic stability.