Assistance to children with disabilities will be tied to the minimum wage: what will change in 2026
13 November 21:05
The Verkhovna Rada has registered a bill that proposes to link social assistance to children with disabilities to the minimum wage. This is reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to the website of the Ukrainian parliament.
Today, the state pays social assistance to children with disabilities and persons with disabilities since childhood based on the subsistence level. Fixed percentages of the subsistence minimum for disabled persons have been established (in 2025, this minimum is UAH 2,361). The monthly allowance amounts are currently as follows:
- children with disabilities under the age of 18 – 70% of the subsistence minimum for those unable to work (about UAH 1,653 as of 2025)
- persons with disabilities from childhood of group I – 100% of the subsistence minimum (about UAH 2,361);
- persons with disabilities from childhood of group II – 80% of the subsistence minimum (about UAH 1,889);
- persons with disabilities from childhood of group III – 60% of the subsistence minimum (approximately UAH 1,417).
In addition to the basic allowance, there is an allowance for the care of persons with disabilities and children with disabilities. This allowance can be received by one of the parents, adoptive parents, or guardians if the child needs constant care (medically confirmed) and the caregiver is not working or studying. The amount of the allowance is differentiated by age and severity: for the most severe cases (subgroup A), it is 200% of the subsistence minimum for the relevant age category, and for others, it is 50% or 100%. Thus, the total family allowance may be higher if the child has severe health problems and requires constant care. However, even with these additional payments, current benefits remain very modest. As the explanatory note to the new draft law recognizes, the current system does not ensure a minimum adequate standard of living: the allowance is tied to a lowered subsistence level, and its amount does not cover the costs of care, rehabilitation, and education for families. This is fragmented support, enshrined in various acts, which does not provide a comprehensive approach to the needs of families.
What does the new draft law on social benefits provide for: initiators, registration and essence of the document
The document is titled “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On State Social Assistance to Persons with Disabilities from Childhood and Children with Disabilities’ to Form a Comprehensive State Support and Increase Social Guarantees for Families with Disabilities”. Its number is 14191, the date of registration is November 5, 2025. The draft law was initiated by a group of Ukrainian MPs led by Danylo Hetmantsev (Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Taxation and Customs Policy) and Halyna Tretiakova (Chairman of the Committee on Social Policy). Among the co-authors are more than three dozen MPs from the ruling faction, including Iryna Borzova, Maksym Buzhansky, Mariana Bezuhla, and others.
The purpose of the draft law, according to them, is to radically change the state’s approach to supporting families with children with disabilities or people who have been disabled since childhood. As the author emphasizes, it is not only about increasing payments, but also about creating a comprehensive family support system, where special services, digital solutions, and real attention to needs will be provided alongside financial assistance.
We want families raising children with disabilities to feel not indifference, but the real presence and support of the state,” says Danylo Hetmantsev.
The draft law proposes a transition from fragmented assistance to a systematic approach that combines increased financial payments with an expanded package of services and digitalization of procedures.
Linking benefits to the minimum wage and new benefit amounts
The most radical change is to link social assistance to the minimum wage instead of the subsistence level. This means increasing the basic benefit amounts several times. The draft law proposes the following ratios:
- children with disabilities (under 18) – 100% of the minimum wage;
- persons with disabilities of group I – 100% of the minimum wage;
- persons with disabilities from childhood of group II – 70% of the minimum wage;
- persons with disabilities from childhood of group III – 30% of the minimum wage.
The linkage to the minimum wage reflects the desire to raise social assistance to a more realistic level. The minimum wage is growing faster than the subsistence level and is budgeted at a higher level. In particular, in the draft budget for 2026, the monthly minimum wage is planned to be UAH 8,647 (UAH 647 more than in 2025). If we take this figure as a basis, the new payment amounts will be as follows:
- children with disabilities and persons with disabilities since childhood of group I – 100% of the minimum wage, i.e. UAH 8,647 per month (in 2026);
- persons with disabilities from childhood of group II – 70% of the minimum wage, which is approximately UAH 6,052 in 2026;
- persons with a disability from childhood of group III – 30% of the minimum wage, about UAH 2,594 in 2026.
Thus, the amount of state aid will be directly indexed to the increase in the minimum wage.
In addition to the financial part, the draft law proposes new types of support: it introduces a care allowance without the requirement to quit work (a family will be able to receive such an allowance even if both parents work). It is planned to develop a network of social services: early intervention, inclusive support services, child development, and a “respite service for parents” (when a family can receive temporary assistance in childcare to prevent caregiver burnout). All procedures are proposed to be digitized as much as possible: applications, medical reports, and other documents can be submitted online, without queues and paperwork. The state will also guarantee that children with disabilities will be provided with the necessary medical devices under the reimbursement program without bureaucracy. Even if a child or a person with a disability is in a specialized institution, they are guaranteed the right to manage their own care (which increases their autonomy).
How payments will change: comparison with the current level
The proposed benefit increase is unprecedented in recent years. Each category will receive a significant increase in the amount of assistance. Here’s a comparison of the current level (as of the end of 2025) and the new level calculated for 2026:
A child with a disability under 18: the current basic allowance is UAH 1,653, while the proposed allowance is UAH 8,647. The increase is about UAH 7,000 per month, or more than 5 times. Even taking into account the allowances for care (for severe cases, the surcharge can now reach 200% of the subsistence minimum per child), the new amount is still significantly higher than the current maximum. This dramatically increases the family’s resources for treatment, rehabilitation, and child care.
A person with a disability from childhood of group I: currently – UAH 2,361 per month, according to the new formula – UAH 8,647. An additional UAH 6,286 per month, which is almost a threefold increase. For this most vulnerable category (Group I usually implies the most severe health condition), the increase will have a significant impact on the quality of life and will allow them to finance the necessary ongoing care or assistance.
A person with a disability since childhood of group II: the current amount is UAH 1,889, the proposed amount is UAH 6,052. The increase will be by UAH 4,160, meaning that the payment will more than double (about 3.2 times the current amount).
A person with a disability from childhood of group III: currently – UAH 1,417, to be increased to UAH 2,594. This is the smallest absolute increase, about UAH 1,177 per month, but even here the amount will almost double (1.8 times the current amount).
As we can see, families with children with disabilities and people of group I will receive the largest increase: their allowance will increase several times and exceed the current level by several thousand hryvnias per month. For comparison, the subsistence minimum for those unable to work (UAH 2,361), which is currently used to calculate payments, is almost four times lower than the projected minimum wage in 2026 (UAH 8,647). Shifting the base to the minimum wage actually means bringing social assistance to the level of the minimum wage. This may bring social benefits closer to real needs: the authors of the reform emphasize that they want to move from the principle of “survival assistance” to support for a decent life.
Fiscal impact and burden on the budget
It is clear that such large-scale increases will require significant additional funds from the state budget. The explanatory note explicitly states that the implementation of the draft law will require additional expenditures, and the specific amounts will be determined when the budget for the respective year is formed.
Will the budget be able to cover such expenses? The drafters of the bill believe that resources should and can be found. They claim that the additional costs will be compensated for by an increase in tax revenues and the redistribution of funds from inefficient social programs. In other words, it is planned to target public money more specifically to the most vulnerable categories. The draft law is integrated into a broader social policy reform announced by the Ministry of Social Policy: the priority is to support families at every stage, from the birth of a child throughout the life of a person with a disability. Its implementation is likely to require adjustments to the state budget. The relevant parliamentary Committee on Budget and the Ministry of Social Policy should provide their calculations and conclusions. So far, there are no specific figures in the public domain – the final amount will depend on how many people will actually receive the increased payments and on what date the new rules will come into force (assumedly, three months after the law is published).
Draft law No. 14191 has received positive feedback from government officials, as it aims to correct a long-standing social injustice. Iryna Borzova, one of the co-authors (head of the subcommittee on youth policy), emphasized that MPs propose to move from fragmented to systemic assistance.
“The purpose of the draft law is to create a modern, fair and flexible system of state support for children with disabilities and persons with disabilities since childhood, ensuring a decent standard of living,” emphasized Borzova.
According to her, this means implementing practices in Ukraine that comply with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and European social standards.
Representatives of the Ministry of Social Policy also support the policy of increasing targeted payments. According to First Deputy Minister Denys Uliutin, the updated support system for people with disabilities is based on modern principles, including the International Classification of Functioning (ICF). In addition, the reform, agreed with the World Bank, provides for a range of measures, from financial assistance to rehabilitation and employment programs. Thus, the draft law by Hetmantsev-Tretiakova fits into the broader context of social policy modernization.
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