A new wave of payments: UN compensates Ukrainians for part of their pensions — how to get it
23 June 19:43
The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine has announced the extension of the additional financial assistance program implemented in cooperation with the Pension Fund of Ukraine and the World Food Program (WFP). This initiative allows the most vulnerable segments of the population – pensioners, people with disabilities and people who are not eligible for a pension – to receive monthly assistance until the end of July 2025, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports, citing information from the relevant ministry.
The program was launched in August 2023. Its goal is to increase support for Ukrainians living in regions with a high risk of hostilities or who have already suffered their consequences and are unable to provide themselves with a minimum income. Particular attention is paid to those citizens who do not receive assistance from other international organizations, as well as those who receive social benefits below the basic subsistence level.
Who receives assistance
The following categories of people are eligible for financial support
- persons who have reached retirement age but have a pension below UAH 3,250 per month;
- citizens who receive state social assistance, but its amount is less than UAH 3,250
- men and women who do not receive financial assistance as IDPs or from other international organizations;
- persons with disabilities of any group;
- citizens who are not entitled to a pension;
- citizens with disabilities;
- Ukrainians with the status of a person with a disability since childhood;
- children under 18 years of age with the status of a person with a disability;
- residents of communities living in the area of active or potential hostilities, according to the classification of the Ministry of Reintegration. Currently, these are Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Donetsk, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Kherson regions.
How the financial assistance is calculated
The amount of the payment is calculated individually. It is the difference between the actual pension (or social assistance) and a fixed amount of UAH 3,250. For example, if a person receives a pension of UAH 2,500, they will receive an additional UAH 750 from WFP. Thus, the total income, including the assistance, will amount to a guaranteed UAH 3,250.
This approach allows us to provide targeted support to people on the verge of poverty without exceeding the established budgetary limits. This model is transparent, automated, and does not require additional applications from the recipient.
Read also: New social benefits from July 1: who is eligible and how to apply
Program funding and population coverage
According to the Ministry of Social Policy, more than 315,000 people receive assistance every month, and the total amount of payments is approximately UAH 216 million. Since the start of the program, WFP has provided assistance worth more than UAH 5 billion.
Funding is provided by the UN World Food Program, which has been operating in Ukraine since 2014, and since 2022 – in an expanded format due to Russia’s full-scale invasion. In addition to cash transfers, WFP also implements food support and humanitarian logistics programs in the frontline areas.
Mechanism for receiving assistance
The most important thing for recipients is that they do not need to do anything extra. The aid is automatically transferred to those people who already receive a pension or social benefit. The payment is made in the same way – through a bank card or delivery by Ukrposhta.
Priority is given to those Ukrainians who live in dangerous settlements, the list of which is regularly updated on the website of the Ministry of Reintegration. In case of any questions, citizens can contact the social protection authorities at their place of residence or the WFP hotline.
Transparency and control
The program operates on the basis of verified registers: data from the Pension Fund, the Ministry of Social Policy, as well as information on receiving assistance from other humanitarian agencies. This avoids duplication of payments and ensures the targeted use of funds.
The extension of the program for another two months – until the end of July 2025 – is a response to the request of socially vulnerable citizens and reflects the position of international partners on long-term support for Ukraine in the crisis period.
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