The subsistence minimum may be calculated in a new way: the real indicator was estimated at UAH 11,850
From January 3, 2026, new subsistence minimum indicators established by the Law on the State Budget came into force in Ukraine. Traditionally, the size of pensions, family benefits, social payments, alimony, tax benefits, and other state guarantees depend on this indicator. The overall subsistence minimum indicator is UAH 3,209.
However, the issue of the subsistence minimum's correspondence to the real expenses of citizens has again become a subject of public discussion. A petition has been submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers calling for a review of the methodology for determining the subsistence minimum and ensuring that its size reflects the actual cost of living in Ukraine, rather than being determined solely by the state's budget capabilities.
How the subsistence minimum is currently determined
The petition states that Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 780 dated October 11, 2016, formally defines the methodology for calculating the subsistence minimum — a list of products, goods, and services of the consumer basket on the basis of which this indicator should be calculated.
However, the actual size of the subsistence minimum applied in practice is annually established by the Verkhovna Rada through a separate law on the State Budget. According to the author of the petition, this amount is not derived from the actual cost of the consumer basket but is determined based on available budget resources.
"In other words: the state does not calculate how much money a person actually needs to live. It determines how much it is willing to allocate — and then this arbitrary, budget-conditioned figure is presented as a 'social standard,' which millions of Ukrainians rely on when applying for benefits, privileges, alimony, and other payments," the petition states.
The author believes that under such conditions, the consumer basket methodology itself effectively fails to perform its function, and the subsistence minimum has ceased to be a calculated indicator and has turned into a tool for budget savings.
The petition also draws attention to court decisions regarding Cabinet Resolution No. 780. It notes that by the decision of the Kyiv District Administrative Court dated April 25, 2018, the Kyiv Administrative Court of Appeal dated July 10, 2018, and the Supreme Court ruling in case No. 826/3639/17, this resolution was declared illegal and invalid due to violations in the procedure of conducting scientific and public expertise.
Despite this, the author of the petition claims that the methodology embedded in the document continues to be applied.
Why the current subsistence minimum is criticized
The petition No. 41/010155-26ep reminds that as of 2026, the subsistence minimum for a working-age person is UAH 3,328, for children aged 6 to 18 years — UAH 3,512, and for children under 6 years — UAH 2,817. These indicators are established by the Law on the State Budget for 2026.
At the same time, the author claims that these amounts do not correspond to the real cost of the consumer basket, even calculated according to the outdated norms of Resolution No. 780. According to his estimate, the actual subsistence minimum should be at least UAH 11,850 per person.
The author of the petition believes that this situation leads to several negative consequences:
- families who are actually in difficult financial situations cannot obtain low-income status because their income formally exceeds the established subsistence minimum;
- the sizes of social payments, pensions, alimony, and tax benefits tied to the subsistence minimum remain artificially low;
- in conditions of war and rising prices, this, according to the author, limits the realization of citizens' constitutional right to an adequate standard of living guaranteed by Article 48 of the Constitution of Ukraine;
- the continued application of a normative act that was canceled by the court undermines trust in the principle of the rule of law.
The petition also emphasizes that Ukraine declares a course toward European integration, and in European Union countries, the subsistence minimum is calculated based on the real cost of the consumer basket and is reviewed automatically every year.
"European integration is not only about foreign policy but about the dignity of every person inside the country and the honesty of the state in its own calculations," the author notes.
In this regard, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is asked to:
- Ensure that the size of the subsistence minimum truly corresponds to the cost of the consumer basket and is not determined solely by budget capabilities.
- Review the norms of the consumer basket taking into account the Supreme Court decision in case No. 826/3639/17.
- Introduce a legislatively secured mechanism that will prevent a gap between the calculation methodology and the actual established size of the subsistence minimum.
- Ensure public reporting on the methodology for calculating the subsistence minimum and on the status of implementation of the Supreme Court decision regarding Resolution No. 780.
- Provide an official written response on the substance of the issues raised within the time frame established by law.
Recall that the "Judicial and Legal Newspaper" wrote that the government approved the Budget Declaration for 2027–2029, which provides for a gradual and balanced increase in social standards. The subsistence minimum during 2027–2029 will increase by the inflation rate plus 2 percentage points annually.
Subscribe to our Telegram channel t.me/sudua and to Google News SUD.UA, as well as to our VIBER and WhatsApp, Facebook page and Instagram to stay informed about the most important events.
