What pension to establish if there is not enough service period

In Ukraine, the requirements for insurance coverage for retirement by age increase every year. If a person has not accumulated the required number of years of service, their pension is not assigned; instead, it is possible to apply for state social assistance after reaching a certain age. About this reports UAportal.

According to the Pension Fund of Ukraine, in 2025, both men and women have the right to pension at 60 years old if they have at least 32 years of insurance experience. If the experience is less, the retirement age is automatically increased or a person does not receive pension payments at all.

Retirement by age in case of insufficient insurance experience

The right to apply for a pension depends on the number of years of official insurance experience:

• at 60 years old – with at least 32 years of experience;

• at 63 years old – if the experience is from 22 to 31 years;

• at 65 years old – with experience from 15 to 21 years.

If the insurance experience is less than 15 years or completely absent, retirement by age is not assigned regardless of age.

Social assistance instead of a pension: conditions and amount

For citizens without the necessary experience, the state provides for the payment of social assistance after reaching 65 years. In 2025, its amount is determined as the difference between the average monthly income of the family per person for the last six months and the minimum subsistence for persons who have lost their ability to work.

Currently, this minimum subsistence is 2361 hryvnias. At the same time, the maximum amount of social assistance cannot exceed 100% of the minimum subsistence for able-bodied persons, which in 2025 is set at 3028 hryvnias.

Thus, in the absence of the necessary insurance experience, Ukrainians can only expect limited state support, not a full pension.

It should be noted that on January 1, 2026, the requirements for retirement will increase. To retire at 60 years, one must have 33 years of insurance experience.