Financial Situation and Poverty Risks of Households with Students

The purpose of this article is to analyze the financial situation of households with full-time students and to assess the effect of new social benefit for students from poor households on the poverty level and income deficit, and to estimate the amount of additional budget expenditures required to introduce this benefit. Model calculations were based on the Sample Survey of Population Income and Participation in Social Programs (VNDN-2024) conducted by Federal State Statistics Service. The analysis showed that full-time college and university students are extremely vulnerable and need additional state social assistance. It was found that households with students, and especially households of students, and households with both students aged 17 to 23 and two or more children under 17, experience high poverty risks. Model calculations show that the introduction of a new benefit in the amount of 50% to 100% of the subsistence minimum for students aged 17 to 23 years with per capita income below the poverty line could reduce the poverty level by 1.2 times, and the total income deficit by 1.3 times. The introduction of the benefit will require additional budget funding in the amount of 0.06% of GDP per year and help to improve the financial situation of households with students and the human capital quality of young people.