Pensions in Ukraine: How Payments Will Change in 2026 and Who Will Feel It Most
Next year, Ukraine’s pension system will undergo significant changes driven by the increase in the subsistence minimum and the minimum wage, directly impacting the income levels of citizens, especially pensioners.
According to lawyer Ivan Khomych, in 2026, the subsistence minimum will rise from 2361 UAH to 2595 UAH, which will automatically affect the minimum pension amount — it will match this figure.
The maximum pension will also increase from 23,610 UAH to 25,950 UAH, corresponding to ten times the subsistence minimum.
An important aspect is the adjustment of the minimum pension for those whose benefits are linked to the minimum salary.
The new salary will grow from 8000 UAH to 8647 UAH.
This means that for citizens over 65 with full employment history, the minimum pension will constitute 40% of this amount — about 3458.80 UAH.
Additionally, in 2026, the supplement for additional years of service will increase from 23.61 UAH to 25.95 UAH per year.
Lawyers highlight that no significant changes are expected for disability benefits, although the benefit amount depends on the group: 100% of the old-age pension for Group 1, 80% for Group 2, and 60% for Group 3.
The increase in the subsistence minimum will automatically boost the minimum pensions for this category to 2595 UAH.
The range of pensions for those with experience in 2026 will be from 2595 UAH to 25950 UAH, depending directly on the official salary and the number of years worked.
The level of salary will have the greatest influence: the higher the official salary, the larger the pension.
For those without any work experience, only social assistance will be provided, amounting to 2595 UAH, awarded in the absence of income and with no employed family members residing with them.
The head of the Verkhovna Rada committee on finance, taxation, and customs policy, Danylo Hetmantsev, has proposed integrating increased social standards into the draft state budget for the next year.
Specifically, he suggests raising the subsistence minimum to 4700 UAH (currently 2920 UAH), and the minimum wage to 12000 UAH (currently 8000 UAH).