The Pension Fund stopped issuing pension certificates several years ago after the PFR information system reached a new level and enabled the Fund to rapidly provide citizens and the authorities with full information via the system of electronic interagency interaction. Now all government agencies receive information confirming the pensioner status of a person directly via electronic exchange with the Pension Fund. However, the PFR has prepared a project for confirming the status even to those who have no access to its database.
In 2019 the PFR launches a pilot project, the digital social card which socially responsible business that has no access to the electronic interagency interaction system can use to identify a person as a pensioner. The card will perform a similar function for retirees who are entitled to benefits starting on January 1, 2019, consistent with the new laws.
The digital social card has been implemented in the PFR mobile application; it contains information about a person’s status and social benefits in the form of a unique QR-code. The code on the smart phone screen will identify a person as a pensioner or a retiree, and indicate one’s benefits, discounts and other forms of social support provided by the government and commercial entities.
The active use of the digital social card will begin next year. As of now, the PFR and Х5 Retail Group are preparing to sign a bilateral agreement on the provision of benefits on the basis of this card. X5 plans to implement a technology for scanning the QR code for the purpose of discounts and personalized offers for pensioners and retirees in its retail chain starting next year.
The PFR expects other companies to show interest in the project. Similar cooperation is being discussed between the Pension Fund and RZD.