The Law of Ukraine «On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2026» provides for an increase in social standards in 2026, in particular, the minimum wage and the subsistence minimum. Thus, from January 1, 2026, the minimum wage has been set at the amount of 8647 UAH (until January 1 – UAH 8,000). The change in the minimum wage is the basis for recalculating the minimum pension amount for unemployed persons who have reached the age of 65 and have a full insurance period (30/35 years for women/men, respectively): from January 1, 2026, this amount cannot be less than 3458.80 UAH – 40% of the minimum wage (Part Two of Article 28 of the Law of Ukraine «On Compulsory State Pension Insurance»). Taking into account the new minimum wage, starting from January 1, the amount of monthly cash payments has been increased for persons who have special merits before the Fatherland, in particular, those who have been awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine with the award of the Order of the Golden Star since 2014, holders of the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, «For Courage», Princess Olga, and those who have been awarded the distinction of the President of Ukraine «Cross of Military Merit». In accordance with Article 7 of the Law of Ukraine «On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2026», starting from January 1, 2026, the amount of the subsistence minimum is increasing. The increase in the amount of the subsistence minimum, in particular, for persons who have lost their ability to work, from UAH 2,361 to 2595 UAH is the basis for recalculating from January 1 the minimum and maximum amounts of pension payments and pension components, the amounts of which are calculated based on the subsistence minimum (increases, allowances, supplements, etc.). For non-working pensioners who have full insurance experience, the amount of the minimum pension by age increases by UAH 234 to UAH 2,595.
And for those non-working pensioners who have insurance experience of more than 30/35 (20/25) years and whose pensions are higher than the minimum, a supplement for overtime has been transferred: for each full year of insurance experience over the specified pension, the pension increases by 1%, amounting to 2595 UAH. For persons who are working, the amounts of the specified payments will increase after dismissal. Regardless of the fact of work, the amounts have been transferred from January 1:
- minimum pensions for miners and families of military personnel in the event of loss of a breadwinner;
- increases for war veterans (persons with disabilities as a result of the war, combatants, family members of deceased war veterans, Defenders of Ukraine);
- promotions for victims of Nazi persecution;
- pensions for special services to Ukraine.