Introduction. The relevance of the issue of socio-economic deprivation is due to the fact that the lack of attention to the solution of this problem may lead to manifestation of discontent of both individuals and social groups, which may threaten the stability of Russia’s society. In this regard, in order to preserve stability in the society, it is necessary to study the low-income population and the socio-economic factors of deprivation. The aim of the research is to identify the socio-economic indicators of deprivation of the low-income population in the Penza Region. Materials and Methods. To achieve this goal, a research was conducted, aimed at identifying various forms of deprivation of the low-income population and the living standards of the poor in the modern Russian society. The research employed quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as materials of secondary research. The article analyzes the data of the 2018 survey conducted among the low-income population in the Penza Region. Among the qualitative methods, the focus group method was chosen. General scientific methods were used, such as systemic and comparative analysis, analysis of statistical data. Results. The problem of socio-economic deprivation in the Penza Region has been analyzed; its indicators and types have been highlighted. The focus group discussion has revealed the main factor of economic deprivation – the inequality of income distribution in modern society. Thus, the study performed has proved that the causes of poverty of a regional society are associated with economic deprivation (low wages, lack of employment). The survey conducted has made it possible to identify the strategies of the low-income population to get out of a difficult financial situation. Discussion and Conclusion. Deprivation of the population is a problem of national importance. To address this issue, it is necessary to analyze the characteristics of each constituent entity of the Russian Federation separately, to identify the causes and factors leading to deprivation of certain categories of the population, to develop measures to overcome poverty in the country and in the region. The results can help federal and municipal authorities in solving the above mentioned problem.

The article considers the reasons for the social inequality of the poor youth and for the quality and standard of living of the low-income youth on the example of the Penza Region. The authors emphasize that the instability of the contemporary society especially affects the financial situation of young families - under uncertainty, it is difficult for them to maintain a decent lifestyle. The article aims at identifying the main problems in the system of social protection of the low-income youth at the regional level. The article is based on the results of the monitoring conducted in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020 to identify the main problems in the field of social protection of the low-income youth in the Penza Region. The authors used quantitative (mass survey) and qualitative (focus groups, expert interviews) methods and the data of the Federal State Statistics Service for the Penza Region. It turned out that the majority of low-income young people adhere to a passive strategy in terms of improving their income level and show dependent attitudes towards the state. The main problems of social protection of the youth in the Penza Region are a poor system for accepting documents to confirm the status of ‘low-income’ and providing social benefits to young people; the limited social-support programs for improving the quality of life of the younger generation; unjustified expectations of the youth from the current system of social protection. The revealed difficult financial situation of the youth in the region explains the need for a further study of the social protection system for the low-income youth in the Penza Region, in particular, of unequal access to socially oriented programs. The results of the study can be used for developing regional and municipal programs for the social protection of the low-income youth.

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