After the death of a spouse, the surviving partner often expects to simply 'transfer' the deceased's pension to themselves. However, as the Pension Fund of Ukraine (PFU) explains, you cannot automatically receive a deceased person's pension: the law provides for a separate type of assistance — a survivor's pension. Merely being married does not guarantee the granting of the payment: disabled family members of the deceased breadwinner who were dependent on them have the right to it. At the law also specifies certain cases when the payment can be assigned without confirming previous dependency. It is these rules, rather than the 'inheritance' of a pension, that determine who will receive the money and in what amount.
Who Can Apply for the Payment
The main condition is the family member's disability and dependency on the breadwinner. Special rules apply to those caring for a young child: the husband or wife of the deceased can receive a pension regardless of age and ability to work, provided they do not work and are caring for the child of the deceased breadwinner until the child reaches the age of eight. The assignment also takes into account the insurance record of the deceased — the required duration depends on the person's age at the time of death. If the deceased was already a pensioner, a survivor's pension can be granted regardless of the length of their insurance record.
Can You Receive Your Own Pension and the Deceased's Pension Simultaneously
No. According to the general rules of pension legislation, if a person has the right to several types of pensions, they can receive only one of them by their own choice. This means that simultaneously receiving one's own old-age pension and a survivor's pension is generally not allowed. It is important to understand that this is not about receiving the full pension of a deceased husband or wife, but a separate payment. Therefore, before applying for a transition to a new type of pension, the PFU recommends contacting the fund and clarifying the amount of the new payment to understand whether changing the pension type will be financially beneficial.
How the Payment Amount is Calculated
The amount of the survivor's pension depends on the old-age pension calculated for the deceased and the number of disabled family members entitled to payments. The PFU gives a hypothetical example: if the calculated old-age pension of the deceased is 10,000 hryvnias, one disabled family member may be assigned 5,000 hryvnias; if two are entitled to the payment, the total amount will be 10,000 hryvnias, meaning 5,000 hryvnias each. This is an example without taking into account possible allowances, minimum guarantees, and other features of individual calculation. In addition, the legislation establishes minimum guarantees for such pensions, the amount of which depends on the number of disabled family members and the subsistence minimum for persons who have lost the ability to work.
How to Prepare Documents and Submission Deadlines
To be granted a pension, you must submit an application and documents confirming the right to the payment. According to information published in 'Diia', you need to prepare identity documents and documents confirming the circumstances necessary to receive assistance; in some cases, additional papers will be required — for example, confirmation of disability or childcare. You can submit the application in person at a PFU service center or online via the electronic services web portal; for Ukrainians temporarily residing abroad, submission of documents by mail in the established manner is provided.
Date of Application and Term of Assignment
The date of application is of fundamental importance, as the moment payments begin depends on it. If the application is submitted within 12 months from the date of the breadwinner's death, the pension is assigned from the day following the date of death; if later — from the day of application. For example, if the husband died in January, and the wife applied for a pension in November of the same year, provided there is a right to the payment, it can be assigned from the day following the husband's death. If the application is submitted after the 12-month period expires, payments for the preceding period under this rule will not be accrued. The pension itself is assigned for the period during which the family member is considered disabled; for persons who have reached retirement age and meet the requirements of the law, it can be lifelong. In addition to the survivor's pension, relatives may also be entitled to the deceased's underpaid pension.
