Pensioners’ payments will be recalculated again from 1 April: who will be eligible and how much they can receive
In Ukraine, the indexation of pensions for people receiving old-age benefits has been underway since 1 March. However, in addition, from 1 April, the Pension Fund traditionally carries out an automatic recalculation of pensions for working pensioners. Ivan Khomych, managing partner of his own law firm, explained exactly how the pension recalculation works and why some citizens should submit an application themselves.
How pensions are recalculated for working pensioners
According to Khomych, the mechanism for recalculating pensions is quite simple. The Pension Fund reviews the insurance period coefficient, which is one of the key indicators in calculating a pension. Payments are often increased due to additional service acquired after the pension was granted. Furthermore, if it is beneficial to the pensioner, the salary for the last two years of employment may also be taken into account.
This recalculation is carried out in two main cases:
- If, after the pension was awarded or a previous recalculation, the person continued to work and accumulated at least 24 months of insurance service.
- If two years have passed since the previous recalculation or the granting of the pension and at least some additional service has been accrued during this time, even if it is less than 24 months.
The Pension Fund must automatically adjust the calculation of payments if one of these conditions is met, without the need to submit additional documents. The Pension Fund has all the necessary information regarding insurance record and salary, so pensioners do not need to submit any additional certificates.
Problems with the inclusion of wages
However, in practice, the Pension Fund does not always take into account a pensioner’s salary for the last two years, even if it is to their advantage. As a rule, pension recalculation is carried out on the basis of additional insurance periods, which increases the service record coefficient. If the salary has a negative impact on the pension amount, it will not be taken into account.
A lawyer advises that, following the recalculation, you should obtain the Pension Fund’s decision with all attachments and check whether the salary has been taken into account, as well as whether all calculations have been made on the most favourable terms for the pensioner.
How to apply for a recalculation
The recalculation takes place no earlier than two years after the previous one. If, for example, the pension was approved in 2026, the next recalculation will take place no earlier than 2028, provided that the pensioner continues to work and has accumulated the necessary length of service. However, if the pension was granted in June 2024, the recalculation will take place as early as June 2026, but this process will only be implemented automatically from 1 April 2027.
Thus, for almost ten months, the pensioner may receive the old payment amount, without taking into account pension indexation and the updated length of service. In this case, to avoid delays and ensure a faster recalculation, the lawyer advises submitting an application to the Pension Fund yourself via a service centre or the web portal.
How pensions will increase in 2026: indexation and recalculation
The expert notes that the exact percentage of the pension increase depends on each pensioner’s individual circumstances. A pension recalculation may increase payments due to two main factors:
- Additional insurance record, which is taken into account without fail.
- Salary, if taking it into account increases the individual earnings coefficient.
The lawyer recommends always checking the accuracy of the calculations and consulting a specialist if there are any doubts regarding the accuracy of the calculations.
Who is not affected by the changes
The recalculation will not apply to pensioners for whom two years have not yet elapsed since the pension was granted or since the previous recalculation. Therefore, for these citizens, the calculations will not change until this period has elapsed.
A reminder: How pensioners can avoid losing money: physical identification 2026
