The Rada has approved a law on basic social assistance: what will change for Ukrainians
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has approved in principle Bill No. 15094 on basic social assistance, which provides for the creation of a new mechanism for state support for low-income citizens. The bill was passed by a vote of 235 members of parliament.
This was reported on the Verkhovna Rada’s website.
The new law aims to consolidate several types of social benefits into a single system, making assistance more targeted and tailored to the needs of specific families.
According to the document, Ukraine plans to introduce basic social assistance—a unified form of state support that could replace several existing benefits at once.
This includes, in particular, assistance for low-income families, child benefits for single mothers, assistance for large families, and payments to children whose parents evade child support payments or whose whereabouts are unknown.
People of retirement age who have not accumulated the required insurance period to qualify for a pension will also be eligible for the new assistance.
The amount of the payments will depend on the so-called base amount, which will be determined annually in the state budget law.
At the same time, the bill sets a minimum threshold: the base amount cannot be less than the subsistence minimum for able-bodied individuals. As of 2026, it amounts to 3,328 hryvnias.
The calculation of family benefits provides for 100% of the base amount for the first family member, 100% of the base amount for each subsequent household member, and separate conditions for people with disabilities, to be determined by the Cabinet of Ministers.
The draft law emphasizes that assistance will not be limited to cash payments alone.
Before assigning support, specialists will conduct an individual needs assessment for each family, after which they will develop a personalized social support plan.
This approach is intended to help not only provide financial support but also address other family issues—from access to social services to employment.
A separate focus of the reform is encouraging able-bodied citizens to return to the labor market and achieve financial independence.
Parliament explains that the law is intended to bring Ukraine’s social protection system closer to European standards.
Among the key goals of the reform are:
- consolidating social benefits and services into a single system;
- an individualized approach to each family;
- proactively identifying people in need of support;
- simplifying the application process for assistance;
- expanding access to social services in communities.
The new system is expected to make state support more effective and targeted, as well as avoid duplication of various types of benefits.
As a reminder, starting January 1, 2026, Ukraine raised the subsistence minimum for able-bodied individuals. It currently stands at 3,328 hryvnias, and this figure will serve as the basis for calculating basic social assistance.
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