Minimum subsistence in 2026: the government has set a new amount for social payments

The Minister of Finance, Serhiy Marchenko, stated that the Ukrainian authorities are working on a new approach to determining the minimum subsistence level, which is one of the government's most important tasks. According to the budget project for 2026, the minimum subsistence level is set to be 3209 hryvnias per person, which will serve as the basis for calculating social assistance.

The Ministry of Finance, together with the Ministry of Social Policy, wants to stop linking the minimum subsistence level to allowances, Marchenko said.

The last increase in the minimum subsistence level took place at the beginning of 2024 when it amounted to 2920 hryvnias. It is planned that by 2026 inflation will be 9.9%, which forms the basis for increasing it to 3209 hryvnias.

Criticism and Justification

The head of the parliamentary committee on finance, Danilo Hetmantsev, believes that the current level of the minimum subsistence does not meet the real needs of citizens and proposes to raise it to 10-12 thousand hryvnias. The minimum subsistence is defined as the main social indicator that affects many other aspects, including social protection, healthcare, and education. The Ministry of Social Policy is exploring the possibility of abandoning the current system and implementing a new model that reflects the real expenses of Ukrainians.

Ukraine plans to establish a new minimum subsistence level of 3209 hryvnias per person, which serves as the basis for calculating social assistance. The head of the parliamentary committee on finance expressed criticism, claiming that this level does not meet the real needs of citizens and proposes an increase to 10-12 thousand hryvnias.