Will everyone be able to live to retirement: who should not count on retirement at 60?

In Ukraine, the retirement process will become even more complicated. Starting in 2026, not everyone who reaches age 60 will be able to apply for pension benefits officially.

Iryna Kovpashko, Deputy Chairman of the Pension Fund of Ukraine, reported on the new rules and conditions for granting a pension in an interview with media representatives.

The right to receive an old-age pension in our country depends not only on the age reached, but also on the number of years of officially declared insurance experience. In 2026, the requirements for retirement at 60 will be significantly tightened, requiring at least 33 years of work experience.

If a person does not have the necessary experience at age 60, they will not be able to apply for a pension automatically. In this case, the law allows payments to be received later, provided that the minimum experience requirements for other age categories are met.

Under the new conditions, a person who has reached the age of 60 but lacks sufficient experience may be able to apply for a pension after reaching 63 or 65. To receive benefits at the age of 63 in 2026, you must have at least 23 years of insurance experience. If this is not enough, the opportunity to apply for a pension will appear only at age 65, with a minimum of 15 years of experience.

These changes are part of the general pension reform that began in 2018 and provide for a gradual increase in the number of years of official service required to retire at age 60. This means that many Ukrainians will be forced to postpone retirement for several years.