Ukraine is rebuilding its system of support for low-income families. Five separate types of social assistance are being replaced by one payment — basic social assistance (BSA), which is calculated for the entire family at once. From July 1, 2026, this mechanism becomes the main one for the relevant categories and affects over 2.3 million Ukrainians, changing both the way of applying for funds and their amount.
What is Combined into One Payment
Previously, a family could receive several parallel payments: assistance to low-income families, funds for single mothers for children, temporary assistance for children whose parents evade alimony or whose whereabouts are unknown, state social assistance to persons without the right to a pension, and assistance to persons with disabilities. Each of them required its own set of documents and a separate application.
Now, this set is reduced to one basic payment. A person submits one application, and the system calculates the amount based on the specific situation of their household, taking into account the family composition and total income. The logic of the reform is to move from support by categories to support based on the real needs of the family.
Also read:
How to Protect Your Health During Heat and Smog
How the Assistance Amount is Calculated
The calculation is based on a basic value — 4,500 hryvnias per person. The full amount is received by the applicant, each child under 18, and family members with a disability of group I or II. For other adults, a coefficient of 70% applies, i.e., 3,150 hryvnias.
The final payment is determined as the difference between the sum of the basic values of all family members and their average monthly total income. A family of three, where only one parent works and earns about 12,000 hryvnias, will receive approximately 4,600 hryvnias per month. A single mother with two children and no other sources of income can expect around 13,500 hryvnias. The higher the family’s official income, the lower the supplement will be, and at a certain level of earnings, the right to BSA disappears.
Who Will Not Receive Assistance
The program provides for financial and property filters. The payment will not be calculated if an able-bodied adult in the family has not worked, studied, been engaged in entrepreneurial activity, served, or been registered with the employment center for more than three months. Exceptions include caring for a person with a disability, paying a single social contribution, and loss of ability to work.
A reason for refusal will also be the acquisition, within a year before applying, of property, a car, currency, or securities worth more than 100,000 hryvnias. The same applies to deposits or bonds exceeding this amount, the presence of a second home, or more than one car under 15 years old. For property in temporarily occupied territories, in combat zones, or destroyed due to the war, separate reservations apply.
Also read:
Health screening 40+ — how to use 2000 UAH by June 30
How to Apply
The application is available online through the “Diia” application and in person at the service centers of the Pension Fund. For digital submission, a biometric document — an ID card or a foreign passport — and a verified tax number are required.
The procedure consists of two steps. First, a person submits an application for the intention to receive assistance, after which the application shows the approximate monthly amount. If the family is satisfied with the calculation, an authorized representative signs the application for appointment, and each adult family member confirms it with an electronic signature. The decision is made within ten working days, and the payment is appointed for six months. For certain categories, including children of a deceased breadwinner and persons with permanent disability, automatic extension is provided.
What to Consider Before Transitioning
BSA operates within an experimental project, which is scheduled to last until July 1, 2027, and the Ministry of Social Policy aims to make it permanent. Once you switch to basic assistance, you cannot return to the previous separate payments, so the estimated calculation in “Diia” allows you to see the future amount in advance and compare it with the current income. This figure will indicate whether the new model is beneficial for a specific family.
Those looking for other forms of state support may find it useful to review the information about payments and assistance for families of missing and captured persons.
Also read:
Where Ukrainians can look for grants, scholarships and work placements in 2026
