Sweeping changes transformed Russian society in the 1990s. Hoped-for economic growth has failed to materialise, and inequality has mushroomed. The official end of the right-to- work and the high-speed turnover of employees due to economic restructuring has put many out of work: skills – once highly valued – are no longer in demand. Many are hard-hit by diminishing employment prospects and limited access to welfare. A University of Nottingham survey indicates a possible build up of long- term unemployment. Joblessness is pushing many households into poverty. The financial crisis in August 1998 slowed the implementation of social policies, despite solid public support for social protection. Is the government, however, doing enough to ensure adequate social support for poorer households in Russia?