Increased Pension of 7,785 Hryvnias: Which Ukrainian Workers Are Eligible for Preferential Payments in November 2026

In November 2026 in Ukraine, certain categories of workers retain the right to an increased minimum pension of 7,785 hryvnias. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to the Pension Fund of Ukraine. This amount is equivalent to three subsistence minimums for persons who have lost the ability to work and serves as a guaranteed lower payment threshold for those who worked in conditions recognized as particularly hazardous and difficult.

Who Is Eligible for the Increased Minimum

The right to such a payment is enshrined in the law «On Raising the Prestige of Miner's Labor». The regulatory act applies to workers whose professions are included in List No. 1 and who worked full-time underground or in conditions recognized as particularly hazardous and difficult. Specifically, this concerns employees of state militarized emergency rescue services in the coal industry, as well as those engaged in the extraction of coal, iron and manganese ore, uranium, non-ferrous metals, and ozokerite. The list also includes employees of mine construction enterprises who performed underground work.

Conditions for Granting Preferential Old-Age Pensions

Preferential old-age pensions are granted from the age of 50, provided the required insurance record is met. For men, the requirement is at least 25 years of insurance record, of which at least 10 years must be in hazardous and difficult working conditions. The bar is lower for women: 20 years of insurance record, of which at least 7 years and 6 months must be in similar conditions. There is also a special case: individuals who spent their entire working day underground extracting minerals or building mines and shafts can retire regardless of age if they have a certain special record.

Payment Amount and Link to the Subsistence Minimum

For these categories, the pension is calculated as 80% of the earnings taken as the basis for calculation. For example, if such earnings amount to 25,000 hryvnias, the pension amount will be 20,000 hryvnias. At the same time, the payment cannot be less than three subsistence minimums for persons who have lost the ability to work. In 2026, this threshold is 7,785 hryvnias. If the subsistence minimum is increased starting January 1, 2027, the minimum pension for this category will also automatically increase.

Application Procedure and Required Documents

To be granted a pension on preferential terms, you must submit an application to the territorial body of the Pension Fund of Ukraine. The application must be accompanied by a passport, a taxpayer registration number (RNOCPP), a work record book, and certificates confirming preferential length of service. A certificate of wages and documents confirming work in special or hazardous conditions may also be required. Workers in the coal and mining industries who have the required special record and a full package of documents receive payments higher than the general minimum pension.

Context: Confirmation of Length of Service and Changes to Disability Assessment Procedures

Separately, RBC-Ukraine previously published explanations by lawyer and bankruptcy trustee Serhiy Lytvynenko on how to confirm Soviet-era length of service in case of loss of the work record book. According to him, collective farm documents are stored in state archives, and in their absence, the length of service can be proven by the testimony of at least two witnesses. In addition, the Cabinet of Ministers updated the rules for assessing a person's daily functioning, on the basis of which disability is established. The changes concern the terms of assignment, the re-assessment procedure, and provisions regarding military personnel.