Families of deceased pensioners often face a bureaucratic deadlock: the Pension Fund refuses to pay out accumulated funds, citing the lack of joint registration. Lawyers warn that without a certificate of registration, relatives may be left with nothing, but the law provides ways to protect rights.

Administrative Deadlock: Why Payments Are Refused

The situation where the Pension Fund (PF) refuses to pay the unpaid pension of a deceased person is becoming increasingly common. The main reason is the lack of joint registration with the pensioner at the time of their death. Lawyer and Candidate of Legal Sciences Anna Daniil explains the mechanism of this problem in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.

"In practice, notaries refuse to issue a certificate of inheritance rights without a certificate from the Pension Fund regarding the amounts subject to payment," the lawyer notes. At the same time, the fund itself requires applicants to provide exactly this certificate or a certificate of cohabitation. It turns out to be a vicious circle: to get the money, you need documents that cannot be obtained without these same funds or certificates.

What the Law Says About Inheriting a Pension

According to Article 1218 of the Civil Code of Ukraine, the estate includes all rights and obligations belonging to the deceased at the time the inheritance is opened. If an heir permanently lived with the deceased, they are considered to have accepted the inheritance, provided they did not renounce it within the time limit established by law.

Article 91 of the Law "On Pension Provision" clearly defines the procedure for transferring funds:

  • Pension amounts not received due to the death of the pensioner are transferred to members of their family.
  • If several relatives apply, the amount is divided equally among them.
  • In the absence of family members, the funds become part of the general estate.

Separately, a family or a person who organized the funeral is paid a burial allowance in the amount of two months' pension.

How to Appeal a Refusal and Prove Cohabitation

If documents proving joint registration are missing, the fact of permanent cohabitation as one family can be established through the court. This is done via special proceedings—a type of civil litigation used to confirm facts of legal significance without a dispute between parties.

Anna Daniil emphasizes the importance of timely action: "If the Pension Fund has already issued a written refusal, it can be appealed in administrative court. The deadline for filing is 6 months from the day the person learned or should have learned about the violation of their rights".

Missing this deadline without a valid reason may become grounds for rejecting the claim. However, if there are compelling circumstances, such as prolonged document processing, the deadline can be restored through the court.

Financial Nuances of Pension Provision in 2026

In the context of pension issues, the topic of purchasing insurance service record is also relevant. In 2026, one year of insurance service record for age-based pension registration can be purchased for 45,656 UAH as a one-time payment. According to expert calculations, these expenses pay off in approximately nine months of receiving the pension.

Furthermore, certain categories of pensioners will continue to receive a monthly surcharge of almost 1,000 UAH in August 2026. This refers to the supplement for special merits, specifically for mothers of many children. It is important to remember that such a payment is assigned only upon personal application, so passive waiting may lead to a loss of funds.