Ukraine is testing a new social assistance system – payments will be higher than now
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The Ministry of Social Policy has launched a pilot project to introduce a new "basic social assistance" for current recipients of social benefits. This was reported to by the press service of the Ministry of Social Policy.

The new system allows families not to apply for several benefits at once (for example, for low-income, single mothers or families with many children), but to receive one unified benefit.

An experiment has been launched involving families who already receive one or more of the following benefits:

  • state social assistance to low-income families;
  • state child benefit for single mothers/fathers;
  • child benefit for children raised in large families;
  • temporary state assistance to children whose parents evade child support, are unable to support the child or whose place of residence is unknown.

The amount of basic social assistance is equal to the difference between the basic amount for a family and its average monthly income.

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The basic amount is calculated for each family member individually:

  • for the first family member, each child under 18 and persons with disabilities of group I or II – 100% of the basic allowance, i.e. UAH 4500;
  • for each subsequent family member – 70% of the basic amount, with adjustment coefficients for pensioners, depending on the length of service.

For example, a mother who does not work and has a two-year-old child currently receives UAH 6,500 in social assistance. Under the new scheme, she will be able to receive UAH 9000.

A family of five (a father with a minimum wage, a mother and three children) will receive UAH 14,010, instead of the current UAH 10,500.

The project is currently in test mode. The Pension Fund is collecting feedback to finalize the model. If successful, the new assistance may be extended to more recipients.

Participants of the experiment can choose to either keep the "classic" social benefits they have already received or switch to the new basic social assistance.

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