Ukraine to Implement Unified Social Assistance System: What to Know About the New Law from 2026
Starting January 1, 2026, Ukraine plans to introduce a comprehensive and unified basic social assistance system designed to replace the current array of benefits provided to low-income families, single mothers, large families, and persons with disabilities.
This initiative, endorsed by the government and approved by the Verkhovna Rada, aims to make social support more targeted, transparent, and accessible for recipients.
According to Oleksiy Honcharenko, a deputy from the “European Solidarity” party, the new bill envisages significant reforms in the social payment system, which are expected to bring substantial relief to those most in need.Under the new regulations, instead of multiple assistance types, a single social benefit will be introduced, with its amount contingent upon family income.
This payment will not fall below the subsistence minimum and will be higher than current payouts.
An important innovation is that assistance will be targeted, meaning only those genuinely in need will receive it.
The process of applying for benefits will shift entirely online through the «Diia» mobile application and Centers for Administrative Services (CAS).
An independent administrative body will oversee and manage this new system, ensuring transparency and efficiency.The legislation also eliminates the old concept of the “coverage level of the subsistence minimum” and replaces it with a “basic indicator,” which the Cabinet of Ministers will determine annually.
This approach allows for more flexible and justified adjustments aligned with the country’s socio-economic conditions.In addition, the government emphasizes support for internally displaced persons.
Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko announced that several measures had been approved to strengthen and adapt support mechanisms for internally displaced Ukrainians, meeting the new socio-economic challenges.
These developments reflect a deliberate effort by authorities to modernize social support infrastructure, making it more responsive and accountable to current realities.