Increasing minimum pensions: who already receives higher payments

The Pension Fund of Ukraine has announced changes to the payment amounts for individuals affected by the Chernobyl accident. From March 2025, new rules and increased pension amounts will be introduced for this category of the population.

According to the Pension Fund, individuals who worked or lived in areas contaminated by radioactivity can apply for an old-age pension with a reduced retirement age, which will be in effect for a period of one to 13 years. The requirement for the minimum insurance period is also reduced, although it must be at least 15 years.

The minimum pension payments for people with disabilities from March 1 will be:

– for group I disability – 14,308 hryvnias,

– for group II – 11,446 hryvnias,

– for group III – 8,585 hryvnias.

In addition to the principal payments, participants in the liquidation of the accident’s consequences are also assigned payments that depend on their category of involvement. In the event of the breadwinner’s death, disabled family members are entitled to a survivor’s pension, which can be calculated based on the estimated earnings in the exclusion zone from 1986 to 1990 or five times the minimum wage.

In addition, Chernobyl survivors enjoy several social benefits, including a 50% discount on housing and communal services, as well as fuel, compensation for medical expenses, and food benefits.