In January–March 2026, Ukraine adopted a number of decisions directly concerning pensioners, children, and persons with disabilities. This section analyzes policies on housing provision, utility charges, children’s health improvement, and social protection of the most vulnerable categories of the population in wartime conditions.

The key decisions concern the reform of the housing policy system through the introduction of social rental housing, protection of owners of damaged and destroyed property from utility charges, automatic pension indexation averaging 12%, and free health improvement and recreation for children of preferential categories in facilities in the western regions of Ukraine. A separate mechanism has been established for calculating employers’ contributions to support the employment of persons with disabilities.

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Basic principles of housing policy

Law #4751-IX of January 13, 2026

Who is affected: internally displaced persons and evacuees who need housing after losing their homes as a result of the war; veterans and members of their families; persons with disabilities; large families; young families without housing; persons in difficult life circumstances; local self-government bodies; private investors and developers.

Summary:

  • the law introduced the institution of social affordable rental housing, with the possibility of compensation of rent of up to 100%, depending on the social status, income, and property status of the person or family;
  • affordable rental housing will be established that is not subject to privatization or alienation into private ownership;
  • two types of housing operators are created:
    • social housing operators: non-profit organizations that manage the housing and provide it for rent;
    • affordable housing operators: legal entities responsible for the construction and management of such housing;
  • the law promotes investment and the development of public-private partnerships in the housing sector through financial and credit mechanisms to support the construction, purchase, and rental of housing, and also initiates revolving funds to finance housing programs;
  • the law digitalizes and automates housing policy processes, ensuring citizens have fast and transparent access to state instruments for renting, constructing, and purchasing housing;
  • the housing waiting list goes digital: all applications will be processed via the Unified Electronic Information and Analytical System, which will prevent interference by officials, speed up the consideration of applications, and allow each person to track their status and receive up-to-date information on programs and affordable housing funds.

What happened:

The law reforms the housing policy system by introducing the institution of social rental housing with compensation of costs depending on citizens’ financial situation. Affordable housing funds are being established, with such housing excluded from circulation in private ownership. Two types of operators are being created to manage this housing stock: non-profit organizations and commercial legal entities.

Private investment is expected to be attracted through public-private partnerships. The entire housing waiting list and housing allocation system are transferred into digital format, which should ensure transparency, eliminate corruption risks, and simplify citizens’ access to state housing programs.

 

Changes in the accrual of utility charges for destroyed or damaged property

Law #4825-IX of March 25, 2026

Who is affected: owners of residential and non-residential premises damaged or destroyed as a result of hostilities, missile attacks, and terrorist acts; utility service providers; recipients of housing subsidies and benefits for housing and utility services; managers of apartment buildings, associations of co-owners of apartment buildings, and housing construction cooperatives; local self-government bodies and military administrations; the Pension Fund; social services.

Summary:

  • the law terminates the accrual of charges for all housing and utility services from the date of destruction of the real estate property, as confirmed by an inspection report, without the need to apply independently to service providers;
  • the law suspends the accrual of charges for utility services and provides for their recalculation from the date of damage to the property, if it is recognized as unfit for habitation but subject to restoration;
  • local self-government bodies and military administrations are obliged to send the relevant notifications to property owners, social services, and service providers within 30 working days. Thus, the benefit is triggered automatically, rather than on application to the provider;
  • the forced collection of debts for housing and utility services that arose in temporarily occupied territories during the period of occupation is subject to a moratorium, until the Cabinet of Ministers approves a separate procedure for their settlement;
  • compensation of financial losses incurred by building managers and service providers can be paid from the state and local budgets, international assistance, and reparations from the Russian Federation;
  • managers of apartment buildings are obliged to report quarterly to co-owners on the services provided, with the right to submit complaints and the possibility of obtaining a detailed report upon request within 10 days.

What happened:

The law closes a gap that, since February 2022, had forced owners of destroyed and damaged housing to seek recalculation of utility charges manually and on their own. From now on, the key document is the inspection report on the property: it is this report that automatically triggers the termination or suspension of accruals.

The law distinguishes between two conditions of property — destroyed and damaged — and provides different legal consequences for each. However, owners will not receive retroactive recalculation for the entire period since February 2022: for those whose property was affected before the law entered into force, the calculation starts only from the date of its publication. The real effectiveness of the law will depend on the bylaws that the Cabinet of Ministers is required to adopt within three months.

 

Procedure for calculating the contribution for the employment of persons with disabilities

Cabinet Resolution #268 of February 25, 2026

Who is affected: persons with disabilities, enterprises, institutions, and organizations.

Summary:

  • the resolution defines the mechanism by which employers will calculate the contribution to support the employment of persons with disabilities in the event of failure to meet the established quota for workplaces for such employees. The procedure applies to employers with eight or more employees that have not ensured the required number of jobs for people with disabilities;
  • the resolution establishes a formula for calculating the average monthly wage per employee for a quarter, determines which payments are included in the calculation — basic and additional wages, other payments — and which are excluded, including payments under civil law contracts, sick leave payments, and maternity benefits. It also clarifies the procedure for calculating the average number of employees, including external part-time employees.

What happened:

The Cabinet approved the procedure for calculating an employee’s average monthly wage, which will be used to determine the contribution to support the employment of persons with disabilities.

 

Health improvement and recreation for children in need of special social attention

Cabinet Resolution #259 of February 25, 2026

Who is affected: children aged 7 to 18 who belong to the following categories: children of service members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service, the National Guard, the State Emergency Service, and police officers; children of war veterans with special merits before the Motherland and persons discharged from military service; children of fallen Defenders of Ukraine; internally displaced children; children living along the contact line; orphans and children deprived of parental care; children with disabilities; children from large families; children from low-income families; biological children of foster parents and adoptive parents.

Summary:

  • the resolution introduces free health improvement and recreation for children of preferential categories in institutions included in the State Register of Property Facilities for Children’s Health Improvement and Recreation;
  • the health improvement services are aimed at the comprehensive restoration of children’s health — physical, mental, and psychological — for children affected by the consequences of armed aggression or living in difficult life circumstances due to the war;
  • recreation facilities will be located mainly in the western regions of Ukraine in order to protect children from the direct consequences of hostilities and ensure a safe environment for recovery;
  • services will be provided exclusively through institutions included in the State Register of Property Facilities for Children’s Health Improvement and Recreation, which ensures quality control and transparency of funding;
  • a clear age range for service recipients is established — from 7 to 18 years — with an emphasis on children who need restoration of their physical and mental health;
  • an expanded list of preferential categories is defined, covering both children directly connected with Ukraine’s defenders and vulnerable social groups, namely orphans, children with disabilities, and children from low-income and large families.

What happened:

The provision of health improvement and recreation services for children who require special social attention and support in wartime conditions has been addressed.

 

Pension indexation

Cabinet Resolution #236 of February 25, 2026

Who is affected: pensioners.

Summary:

  • from 1 March 2026, pensions are increased automatically, without any applications to the Pension Fund;
  • the increase coefficient is 1.121, meaning that pensions will rise by approximately 12%;
  • the earlier the pension was assigned, the larger the increase. Pensions assigned before 2021 are increased by the full coefficient, while those assigned later are increased by a smaller percentage:
    • 2021–2022 — increase of 6.1%;
    • 2023 — increase of 4.8%;
    • 2024 — increase of 3.6%;
    • 2025 — increase of 2.4%;
  • the maximum amount of the increase is capped at 2,595 UAH, even if the calculated increase would have been higher;
  • if the increase is less than 100 UAH, the state automatically supplements it to that amount;
  • minimum pensions are increased. For example, for non-working pensioners, the minimum rises from 3,038 UAH to 3,406 UAH, and for persons aged 80 and over, to 4,213 UAH;
  • from 1 April 2026, a separate recalculation will be carried out for those who continued working after retirement, also automatically and without an application.

What happened:

From 1 March 2026, automatic pension indexation was carried out in Ukraine. Payments were increased by an average of 12%, with a coefficient of 1.121, and those whose pensions had been assigned earlier received a larger increase. A cap was introduced on the maximum increase — up to 2,595 UAH — while the minimum increase must be at least 100 UAH. Minimum pensions also increased. Separately, from 1 April, an automatic recalculation is envisaged for working pensioners.