From January 1, 2026, Ukrainians over the age of 60 will face a significant update of pension rules

Citizens of Ukraine who are approaching their 60th birthday should pay attention to changes related to retirement, including not only age but also the number of years worked.

From January 1, 2026, the pension system will undergo new changes. Now, the main requirement for receiving a pension will no longer be age, but work experience.

The Pension Fund of Ukraine warns that those who do not have time to accumulate the necessary insurance experience will wait longer for their pension. This is not a threat, but a reality to be reckoned with.

Who will be able to retire in 2026?

The minimum insurance period for retirement at age 60 will increase each year. Previously, a shorter length of service was enough to receive a pension, but from January 1, 2026, it will increase to 33 years.

This means that reaching age 60 does not guarantee receipt of a pension. It is necessary to have the appropriate number of years of service with contributions.

By 2028, the requirements will increase further, to 35 years of experience. Thus, the rules become increasingly strict.

What to do if experience is not enough?

You shouldn’t panic, but you shouldn’t ignore the situation either.

If a person turns 60 in 2026, but has less than 33 years of service, then:

Receiving a pension will be postponed until age 63 if there are at least 25 years of experience.
If the length of service is less, the retirement will arrive at the age of 65, under the conditions of reduced requirements – 15 years of service is enough for this.
The right to receive a pension will be determined at the time of reaching the age of 60, 63, or 65, depending on the length of service.

What experience will be counted?

The rules for the formation of seniority are pretty straightforward:

Periods after January 1, 2004, are recorded in the personalized accounting system, which simplifies their confirmation.
The periods up to 2004 are taken into account based on the workbook and other documents.
If the workbook is lost, stocks are erased, or entries are entered incorrectly. The length of service can be confirmed by other official documents issued by enterprises or institutions, as well as by the register of insured persons.

We remind you that although we plan to increase pensions, this may not always improve people’s financial situation.