Ukrainian parliament revises draft law increasing payments for children with disabilities: What the new amounts will be

A Ukrainian parliamentary committee on social policy has recommended that Parliament consider Bill No. 14191 for a repeated second reading. The bill would strengthen state support for children with disabilities and people with disabilities since childhood, with monthly payments of up to 16,000 hryvnias, the Ministry of Social Policy’s press service reported.

Illustrative photo from open sources

The bill provides for a comprehensive update of the state support system for children with disabilities, people with disabilities since childhood and their families. It includes increasing payments and combining them with social services, including early intervention, support during inclusive education, comprehensive child development and care, and temporary respite for parents. It also provides additional guarantees for people living in institutions and protection of their property rights.

A new indicator, known as the base value, will be introduced to determine the amounts of payments. Starting in 2027, the base value will be 4,000 hryvnias. For children with disabilities, the state will pay 200% of the base value, or at least 8,000 hryvnias per month.

An additional care allowance will also be provided:

• at least 4,000 hryvnias for a child with a disability if a medical consultative commission determines that the child needs care;
• at least 8,000 hryvnias for a child with a Subgroup A disability.

The monthly payments will be:

• 8,000 hryvnias in state social assistance for a child with a disability;
• 12,000 hryvnias if the child additionally requires care;
• 16,000 hryvnias for a child with a Subgroup A disability.

If a child has a disability as a result of an injury or other harm to their health caused by explosive ordnance, the payments will additionally increase by 50% of the basic payment.

The bill also provides for increased payments to adults with disabilities since childhood. They will receive:

• at least 8,000 hryvnias for a Group I disability;
• at least 4,000 hryvnias for a Group II disability;
• at least 3,000 hryvnias for a Group III disability.

People with a Group I disability will be entitled to a care allowance. They will receive:

• Subgroup A: at least 8,000 hryvnias, bringing the total payment to at least 16,000 hryvnias;

• Subgroup B: at least 4,000 hryvnias, bringing the total payment to at least 12,000 hryvnias.

Single people with Group II and Group III disabilities since childhood will receive a care allowance starting at 3,000 hryvnias. The total payment for people with a Group II disability will be at least 7,000 hryvnias, and for those with a Group III disability, at least 6,000 hryvnias.

One of the important changes lawmakers introduced into the bill ahead of its repeated second reading is a new mechanism for payments to children with disabilities living in institutions. All funds will be deposited into the child’s personal accounts:

• 10% into a current account;
• 90% into a savings account.

“This means that the funds will belong to the child and can be used for education, medical treatment, purchasing housing or starting an independent life,” the ministry explained.

If, after turning 14, a child with a disability is admitted to a vocational, professional pre-higher or higher education institution for study and accommodation outside the institution where they previously received full state support, the payments will be deposited into their personal accounts as follows:

• 50% into a current account to meet personal needs;
• 50% into a savings account.

The bill also provides for changes to state benefits for adults with disabilities since childhood who live in institutions. Starting in 2028, they will receive 50% of the payments, while the remaining funds will be paid to the institution as compensation for social services under a contract.

One of the key changes in the revised bill is the introduction of a combined early intervention social service for children under 4 who have developmental disorders or are at risk of developing them. A case manager and a multidisciplinary team will work with the family to develop an individual support plan for the child and their family. This will include parent training and consultations on childcare, the child’s development, socialisation, and adaptation to life.

The bill also provides for a social service for the comprehensive development and care of children with disabilities, as well as two weeks of temporary respite for parents. Combined with the payments, this support model would provide assistance ranging from 20,000 to 71,000 hryvnias per month, depending on individual needs.

Starting 1 January 1, 2027, the state will finance basic social services for five years.

More than 160,000 families raising children with disabilities and adults with disabilities since childhood have been waiting for Verkhovna Rada’s decision on the reform of social support, lawmaker Danylo Hetmantsev said during a meeting of the parliamentary committee.

The parliamentary committee recommended that Parliament pass Bill No. 14191 on  10 July. However, during a vote in the parliamentary chamber on 15 July, the bill failed to receive enough votes.

In 2024, Ukraine adopted a strategy for 2024–2028 to ensure every child’s right to grow up in a family environment. It provides for creating a support system for children and families with children and returning children to their families instead of placing them in residential institutions. This is part of the reform to deinstitutionalise the child care system, which is one of Ukraine’s commitments on its path toward European Union accession.

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