Disability Benefits in Ukraine: Post-Indexation Pension Amounts Revealed

The State of Disability in Ukraine

According to ХВИЛЯ: As of March 2026, Ukraine is home to nearly 3.4 million people with disabilities, representing roughly 10 percent of the country's current population of 33 million. This figure marks a significant increase of 700,000 individuals, or nearly 26 percent, since 2022. Among this group, approximately 150,000 people have received disability status due to combat-related wounds and concussions, a direct consequence of the ongoing conflict.

Classification of People with Disabilities

Among the civilian population, the breakdown is as follows:

• 205,000 have a first-degree disability,
• 889,000 have a second-degree disability,
• 1.47 million have a third-degree disability.

Additionally, separate categories include:

• 530,000 adults with disabilities since childhood,
• 150,000 children with special needs.

Out of the total 3.4 million, only 1.5 million receive disability pensions. In March, the government indexed these payments, resulting in a net pension increase of 12.1 percent after accounting for the previous year's inflation rate of 8 percent.

Pension amounts are calculated as a percentage of the standard old-age pension: 100 percent for first-degree, 90 percent for second-degree, and 50 percent for third-degree. Following the spring recalculation, the minimum payment for civilians with first-degree disability is 3,340 hryvnias, while the average payment for this category reaches 9,855 hryvnias. For non-working individuals in the second and third groups, the minimum amount is 2,825 hryvnias. The official subsistence minimum for those unable to work was set at 2,595 hryvnias as of January 1.

Social assistance for 680,000 Ukrainians with disabilities since childhood also saw an increase. The most severe cases in first-degree disability (subgroup A) now receive 9,018 hryvnias. Payments for children with similarly complex conditions rose by 816 hryvnias to reach 7,563 hryvnias. Separate recalculations were made for 60,000 Chornobyl disaster liquidators, with payments set at 23,153 hryvnias for the first group, 18,522 for the second, and 13,892 for the third.

For individuals with war-related disabilities-those injured on the front lines since 2014-the minimum pension for the first group increased to 18,908 hryvnias, for the second group to 15,272 hryvnias, and for the third group to 10,472 hryvnias. The average figures for these combat-related categories are 21,200, 17,120, and 12,650 hryvnias, respectively. For military personnel whose disabilities are service-related but not connected to combat, the minimum payment for the first group is 11,315 hryvnias and 10,045 hryvnias for the second.

The rising number of people with disabilities in Ukraine, particularly due to combat, underscores the critical importance of robust social support for this segment of the population.

The government is responding to the needs of people with disabilities by raising pensions and social benefits, which may help alleviate their financial strain amid ongoing economic challenges. These adjustments are vital for ensuring a dignified standard of living and fostering the integration of individuals with disabilities into society.

As the situation for individuals with disabilities continues to evolve, understanding the specifics of minimum payments and eligibility for Group III pensions becomes crucial. This information is essential for ensuring that those affected are aware of their rights and the support available to them, particularly in light of the recent pension adjustments.