From January 1, 2026, salaries of social workers increased by 2.5 times: new amounts

Increase in wages in the social sphere

As of January 1, 2026, the government decision to increase wages for social sector workers came into force in Ukraine. The salaries of specialists have increased by almost 2.5 times, which will significantly improve the financial situation of many social workers. The base rates for this category of workers have been increased by approximately 150%.

New salary amounts

Among the new salary amounts, several key positions can be highlighted:

• Social manager (15th tariff group) now receives 20607 UAH instead of 8243 UAH.
• Social work specialist (12th grade) will receive 16932 UAH instead of 6773 UAH.
• Junior nurse (4th grade) – 10145 UAH instead of 4058 UAH.

This increase is aimed at encouraging professionals in the social sphere to work more effectively.

It is worth noting that the new increase coefficient does not apply to specialists who assist war veterans and demobilized persons. Regional and Kyiv city administrations are instructed to ensure the payment of increased salaries, and local self-government bodies are recommended to review the salaries of municipal institution workers. This decision will undoubtedly be an important step in improving working conditions in the social sphere.

The increase in salaries in the social sphere reflects the growing attention of the state to the issues of social security and support for specialists working in this important area.

It is expected that these changes will positively affect employee motivation and the quality of social services they provide. Importantly, this decision does not cover all specialists, particularly those working with veterans, which may spark discussions about the need for increased funding for this category of workers in the future.