Ukraine Pensions 2026: Increase Details – TSN Exclusive

In March 2026, Ukrainian pensioners will see how much their pension has increased. Despite the fifth year of war, pension indexation is carried out for the fifth time in a row, as always, in early spring.

Pension increase in March

Indexation of pensions starts on March 4, this is the first day of each month when pension payments begin and ends on March 25. But today everything is clear: not everyone will be happy. And not only those who will receive the minimum promised by the government – 100 hryvnia. It may happen that after indexation of the pension it will not increase by a penny. Why – read on.

Indexation of pensions in Ukraine: what is already known

The Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine Denis Ulyutin recently explained how pension indexation will take place this year.

• Pensions will increase by 12.1%. We are not talking about a pension payment, that is, a pension with various bonuses (for overtime work, special merits, etc.), but about a “pure” pension that a person earned through his own labor. Therefore, the actual percentage increase for almost everyone will be less.

• The smallest increase will be 100 UAH, the maximum 2595 UAH (last year it was no more than 1500 UAH).

• The pensions of judges, prosecutors, those who already receive a maximum pension of 25,950 UAH (10 minimum pensions, with the exception of the military, for them the restriction does not apply), “young” pensioners, that is, those who retired in 2023-2025 (it is believed that their pensions are relevant, therefore are not indexed in the first three years, but they will receive 100 UAH each), pensioners whose payments have already been increased by the state are not subject to indexation to the minimum guaranteed level for the most vulnerable segments of the population (more on this later).

What will actually be increased during pension indexation?

It is not the pension that will be increased by 12.1%, but the average salary that was applied during the previous pension indexation in 2025 (UAH 8,913.83). Now it is equal to 9992.40 (8913.83×1.121) UAH. This indicator is included in the formula for calculating everyone’s pension.

The formula looks like this:

• Pension = average salary x insurance (labor) length of service x individual earnings coefficient.

• The insurance period is calculated as a percentage: 1 year = 1%. The individual coefficient shows how much the average salary of a pensioner for all the years of his work was greater (less than, equal) to the average salary in the country.

The pension will increase by 12.1% only for those who worked exactly 35 years (men) or 30 years (women), received an average salary that coincided with the average salary in the country and do not have any additional merit. For other pensioners, the increase will be smaller, since they will not receive additional payments and bonuses, for example, for overtime service and other merits.

Calculation examples.

1. A pensioner has a pension of 9999 UAH. His insurance experience is 40 years, personal coefficient is 2.768. The bonus for excess length of service is 129.75 UAH (25.95 UAH x 5 years), the “net” pension is 9869.25 UAH. “Net” pension after indexation: 9992.40×0.4×2.768 = 11063 UAH (+1064 UAH), with an increase for length of service of 129.75 UAH it will be 11192.75 UAH. Pension payments increased by 11.9%.

2. A pensioner has a pension of 6,000 UAH, 40 years of insurance experience, and a personal coefficient of 1.646. Obviously, the bonus for excess length of service is also 129.75 UAH, the net pension is 5870.25 UAH. “Net” pension after indexation: 9992.40×0.4×1.646 = 6579 UAH (+709 UAH), with an increase for length of service of 129.75 UAH we have 6708.75 UAH. Pension payments also increased by 11.9%.

Pitfalls of pension indexation in 2026

According to statistics from the Pension Fund of Ukraine (PFU), as of January 1, 2026, there were 10.17 million pensioners in the country. Of these, an estimated 250 thousand people or 2.5% can count on the maximum indexation of UAH 2,595. Now they receive an old-age pension of at least 21,500 UAH. There are about 1.1 million “young” pensioners (10%), they will have a minimum additional payment of 100 UAH. More than 1.5 million pensioners (15%) have pensions of more than 10,000 UAH and can receive an additional 1,200 to 2,000 UAH. There are about 3 million people (29%) with pensions ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 UAH. They can count on indexation from 600 to 10,000 UAH.

But more than half of pensioners, 5.2 million of them, receive 3000-5000 UAH and can supposedly count on indexation of 370-600 UAH. But it’s not that simple. Among them are 1.2-1.5 million pensioners who have full service (35 years for men and 30 years for women), but their earned “net” pensions are very low, sometimes less than the minimum due to low salaries. The state now pays such people extra “for length of service” so that it is at least 3,038 UAH. Indexation for them will be 12.1% or plus 368 UAH, up to 3406 UAH of pension payment. For pensioners who receive 3,500 to 5,000 UAH of pension payments, they will actually be increased by

Many 65-year-old and older non-working pensioners with full service and low salaries may receive nothing at all. The category “65 years + full experience” is one of the most protected, but for them indexation in March 2026 may look paradoxical. There is a state guarantee for this category: the pension payment cannot be less than 40% of the minimum wage. Since the minimum salary increased to UAH 8,647 from January 1, 2026, their minimum pension payment already in January-February is UAH 3,458. This is where the pitfall hides.

What happens during indexation in March? Let’s say that a person’s “net” pension according to the formula (experience x salary) is only 2800 UAH. Until March, a person receives earned UAH 2,800 + UAH 658.80 (additional payment to the guaranteed level) = UAH 3,458.80. In March, only the “net” pension of UAH 2,800 is indexed; it will reach UAH 3,138.8. Since the new indexed pension is still less than the state-guaranteed UAH 3,458.80, the pensioner will receive… the same UAH 3,458.80.

To prevent this from happening, this minimum, as in the past, was increased. The established minimum of 3458.80 UAH increased by 12.1%, to 3877 UAH (+418.2 UAH) and pension payments – by the same amount.

Last year, this minimum was raised to the indexation level by a separate resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers. If there is such a resolution this year, then the indexation of pension payments will be real for them as well. The established minimum of 3458.80 UAH will increase by 12.1%, to 3877 UAH (+418.2 UAH) and pension payments – by the same amount.

And two more cases. If a pensioner has reached 65 years of age, does not work and does not have full insurance coverage, but has worked for more than 15 years, he receives a minimum pension of 2,725 UAH. After indexation, it will increase to 3055 UAH (+330 UAH).

When a person does not have even 15 years of experience, he has no right to a labor pension from the Pension Fund at all. Instead of a pension, such a person, upon reaching 65 years of age, receives social assistance from the social security authorities in the amount of UAH 2,595 (the subsistence minimum for the disabled). Therefore, there will be no indexation for it in March.

Pensions in Ukraine: who will receive the most in 2026

Among pensioners, there are many who will receive another increase this year—those who work. There are 2.8 million people, or 27.5%, which is more than one in four. In March, working pensioners will have their basic pension indexed to the same 12.1%. In April, the Pension Fund will conduct another automatic recalculation for those who have worked for more than 24 months since the last appointment or recalculation of the pension (a new length of service and, if profitable, a new salary are added).

The amount of increase will be individual for each person, depending on his salary. One can only calculate that with a minimum salary and a full length of service of 35 years (for a man), in April the pension of a working pensioner will increase by no less than 103.80 UAH. Half of the amount will be added for two years of overtime service, half – for the increase in total work experience.

Also, during the year there will be an individual increase in pensions for those who reach 70, 75, and 80 years, respectively. They will be assigned monthly pension supplements if the total pension does not exceed UAH 10,040.35, with the day following your birthday. This is plus 300 UAH for those who are 70-74 years old, 450 UAH for those who are 75-79 years old and 570 UAH for 80-year-olds and older.

For those who, after the March indexation of pensions, will reach their 65th birthday in 2026 and have a pension of less than UAH 3,458.80 (or less than UAH 3,877 if a special government resolution is adopted), it will be increased to this level. If the pension is higher, then obviously there will be no increase.

Both allowances are added automatically; you don’t need to apply anywhere.