Denys Ulyutin: The draft law on pension reform will include a section on additional payments to Chernobyl victims

The Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity, Denys Ulyutin, stated that the comprehensive draft law on pension reform will include a separate section that clearly regulates payments, additional payments, and increases for those affected by the Chernobyl disaster. He said this during the meeting "Social Sphere of Zhytomyr Region 2026: Challenges and Opportunities."

"Based on the results of the work of the Temporary Special Commission, we concluded that we really need a draft law. The Ministry of Social Policy is currently working on a large comprehensive draft law within the framework of pension reform. The issue of payments to Chernobyl victims and the regulation of these payments will not be adopted separately. They will be integrated into the general block of the pension system reform. Within this reform, a separate section will be provided concerning the regulation and unification of all increases, additional payments, and specifics of Chernobyl-related pension payments," said the minister.

Earlier, the "Judicial and Legal Newspaper" reported that the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy announced a problem with pension provision for those affected by the Chernobyl disaster and the need to uphold previously guaranteed state social guarantees.

The committee noted that after the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, the state undertook obligations to compensate people for health loss and other consequences of the disaster, including through special pension conditions.

The committee reminded that legislation provided for an increase in pensions for Chernobyl victims by 1% for each year of service exceeding the established norm — 20 years for men and 15 years for women. According to them, this norm applied to many pensioners until 2017.

At the same time, after the 2017 pension reform, the procedure for calculating additional payments for excess service for Chernobyl victims was changed. The committee noted that since then, when determining the right to such additional payments, general requirements for length of service have been applied — over 30 years for women and 35 years for men, including for those whose pensions were assigned earlier.

The committee also pointed out that some pensioners have appealed to the courts due to the change in the approach to calculating payments.

According to the committee, courts, including the Supreme Court, sided with the plaintiffs and indicated that the provisions of the law that worsen a person's situation cannot have retroactive effect. The committee noted that the court concluded that the right to additional payment for excess service should be determined according to the version of the law in effect at the time the pension was assigned.

It is reported that the issue of pension provision for those affected by the Chernobyl disaster remains a frequent subject of legal disputes. It concerns the need to ensure a uniform approach to the implementation of social guarantees provided by law.

Recall that the "Judicial and Legal Newspaper" wrote that the court obliged the Pension Fund of Ukraine to recalculate the Chernobyl additional payment for a person with a group III disability to 50% of the minimum old-age pension instead of 170.82 UAH, recognizing the refusal to make such a payment unlawful.

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