The Republic of Belarus has established the amounts of minimum consumer budgets (MCB) for different socio-demographic groups, calculated per capita and per family member of various compositions, at March 2017 prices. This decision is stipulated in the Resolution of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection dated April 21, 2017, No. 20, as reported to a BELTA correspondent by the relevant department.
Thus, the minimum consumer budget per family member of a four-person family for the period from May 1 to July 31 of the current year, calculated per month, amounts to Br309.07 (this benchmark was Br298.85 for the period from February 1 to April 30 of the current year).
Currently, the per capita minimum consumer budget for a four-person family serves as the basis for determining citizens' eligibility for preferential loans and subsidies for the construction (reconstruction) or acquisition of residential premises; for citizens permanently residing and working in settlements with a population of up to 20,000 people, it is used for preferential loans for capital repairs and reconstruction of residential premises, construction of utility networks, and erection of outbuildings and structures, as well as for defining other social standards.
The share of main consumer expenditure items in the minimum consumer budget of a four-person family at March 2017 prices is as follows: food products – 49%, clothing, linen, footwear – 19.5%, housing and utility services – 7.8%, household services, transport, communication – 9.1%, furniture, cultural and household goods – 8.8%, cultural and recreational activities and leisure – 1.5%, contributions and payments – 1.9%, medicines, sanitary and hygiene items – 2.4%.
The Resolution of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection establishes, for the period from May 1 to July 31, 2017, the per capita minimum consumer budgets for a young three-person family at Br335.28; for the working-age population – Br396.75; for pensioners – Br311.69; for students – Br295.62; for children under 3 years of age – Br251.16; for children aged 3 to 6 years – Br325.03; for children aged 6 to 18 years – Br337.05.
Minimum consumer budgets are established quarterly by a Resolution of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection at the prices of the last month of the quarter for six socio-demographic groups and two family compositions.