Photo: freepik
Ukraine’s parliament has approved draft law No. 14191, increasing state social assistance for children with disabilities and people who have had disabilities since childhood. The law was supported by 331 lawmakers and will take effect on January 1, 2027.
Under the new rules, minimum monthly payments will be:
- UAH 8,000 for children with disabilities under 18 and people with disabilities since childhood, Group I;
- UAH 4,000 for Group II;
- UAH 3,000 for Group III.
Care allowances will also increase. In particular, the minimum care allowance for a child with a Group A disability will be UAH 8,000.
New savings system for children in residential care
The law also changes how payments are distributed for children living in institutions under full state care.
Under the new system, 10% of the payments will go to the child’s current account, while 90% will be placed in a savings account until the child turns 18.
Officials will be prohibited from using these funds. From the age of 14, children will be able to manage the money in their current accounts themselves.
For adults living in institutions under full state care, the share transferred to their personal accounts will increase from 25% to 50%.
The changes are intended to give children and adults in state care personal savings that they can use in the future rather than leaving them entirely dependent on institutional funding.
Financial support alongside social services
Daria Kasianova, head of the Ukrainian Child Rights Network, said the organization had supported parents campaigning for the changes.
She stressed, however, that higher benefits should be accompanied by accessible community-based services such as early intervention, day care and social support.
According to her, this is particularly important for Ukraine’s deinstitutionalization efforts: keeping children in families requires practical support for parents in their communities, rather than leaving them to cope with the challenges alone.
