Subsidies, minimum wage, and communication services: what Ukrainians can expect in 2025.

Starting from the new year, new changes in tax legislation will come into effect in Ukraine, along with a gradual increase in pensions and changes in payments for internally displaced persons (IDPs). This information has been reported by Kontrakty.UA.

What Ukrainians can expect in 2025 is detailed by TSN.ua.

Utility Prices

Until the end of the heating season in 2025, the tariffs for electricity, gas, hot water, and heating will remain unchanged. In particular, the price for centralized heating for most residential consumers will stay at 1654.41 UAH/Gcal, as reported by NV. Business.

However, housing and communal services expert Oleg Popenko believes that utility tariffs may increase next year. This is supported by the memorandum between Ukraine and the IMF, which clearly states the necessity for such changes.

Elimination of MSEC

By the president's decision, medical and social expert commissions (MSEC), which currently determine disability, will be abolished in Ukraine starting January 1.

Their functions will be replaced by a new system for assessing daily functioning, performed by teams of practicing doctors.

The assessment procedure will take place electronically through a referral from the treating physician.

“All information will automatically enter the Unified Information System of the Social Sphere, completely eliminating the human factor, which serves as a safeguard against corruption,” explained TSN.ua Marina Bekalo.

Individuals with disabilities whose re-evaluation was scheduled from January 1, 2025, must undergo assessment according to the new procedure. Those who are unable to complete it on time will have their disability status extended until the decision of the expert team is made, but no later than July 1, 2025.

Mobilization and Military

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated that mobilization will continue in Ukraine in 2025, as it is necessary for defense and achieving military objectives.

In 2025, Ukrainians with deferments will not be mobilized, as well as men with reservations.

Furthermore, citizens aged 18 to 60 who have been deemed unfit for military service based on the results of a military medical commission will also be exempt from mobilization. Additionally, individuals who have been removed from military registration cannot be conscripted.

It is worth noting that military personnel who have gone AWOL (absent without leave) have a chance to return to service by January 1, 2025; otherwise, they face imprisonment. Communications advisor of the State Bureau of Investigation Tatyana Sapyan noted that if a soldier does not return to their unit, efforts will be made to locate them. In such cases, the AWOL individual will return to service through criminal proceedings and a court's decision.

Increased Payments for Military Cadets

Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Serhiy Melnyk announced that starting in March 2025, first and second-year cadets will receive payments equivalent to the minimum wage in Ukraine, which is 8,000 UAH.

"Considering that salaries will be raised, monetary support will also increase in line with the corresponding coefficient. Cadets in the third and fourth years, who are equated to contract service, will receive over 20,000 UAH," he explained.

Salaries and Minimum Wage

The minimum wage for the next year was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine during the adoption of the state budget project for 2025.

The document also established the subsistence minimum for 2025, which remains at the 2024 level. This means 8,000 UAH minimum wage with a subsistence minimum of 2.9 thousand UAH.

Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko noted that the social sphere remains a priority, hence its funding will continue to be stable. However, there are currently no discussions about increasing the minimum wage.

At the same time, in the new year, all legal incomes of Ukrainians will decrease due to an increase in the military tax. This has already taken effect since December 1, following the enactment of the tax increase law.

People's Deputy, member of the Ukrainian Parliament’s Committee on Finance, Tax, and Customs Policy Nina Yuzhanina explained that net income "in hand" will be lower. "Absolutely all incomes that you legally receive anywhere – as an employee, accrued interest on bank deposits – will be taxed at a military tax rate of not 1.5%, but 5%," the deputy noted.

Pension and Allowances

In the new year, Ukrainians can expect two stages of pension increases: indexing in March and an increase in payments for certain pensioners in the summer.

However, an increase in social payments is possible only after changes in legislation. This was stated by Minister of Social Policy Oksana Zholnovich. According to her, the pension increase will primarily affect Ukrainians who retired a long time ago. The minister also mentioned that large pensions will not be cut.

Pensioners affected by the Chernobyl disaster will also receive additional financial support. They can receive supplements to pensions exceeding 2,000 UAH.

Additional payments will be provided to citizens affected by the Chernobyl disaster and will total 2.36 thousand UAH. Payments will be granted provided that the individual:

• is a non-working pensioner;
• permanently resided in the zones of unconditional and voluntary resettlement from April 26, 1986, to January 1, 1993.

Certain categories of pensioners will receive monetary assistance from the World Food Programme of the UN. Payments will increase for those pensioners who turn 70, 75, and 80 years old during November. However, there is a condition – the pension must not exceed 10.3 thousand UAH.

"Historical Changes" for Entrepreneurs

The law on the historical tax increase was signed by Zelensky on November 28 and came into effect the following day. The main changes concerned the military tax rate, profit tax for banks, and the introduction of monthly reporting.

Increased taxes for entrepreneurs will take effect starting January 1, 2025.

For single tax payers, the military tax will be introduced from January 1, 2025; additionally, entrepreneurs will be required to pay the unified social contribution (USC), as the exemption allowing them not to pay USC during martial law is being revoked.

Assistance for IDPs

In 2025, Ukrainians entitled to social payments and assistance for IDPs will receive funds according to schedules.

To support internally displaced persons (IDPs) facing difficult life situations, the government has extended these payments until February 2025.

The most vulnerable categories of displaced persons who cannot work will automatically receive payments without additional applications:

• pensioners with pensions not exceeding 9.4 thousand UAH;
• people with disabilities of the first or second group, children with disabilities under 18 years old, seriously ill children;
• orphans and children deprived of parental care under 23 years old, as well as foster parents and adoptive parents.

Minister of Social Policy Oksana Zholnovich stated in an interview with "Ukrinform" that the Ministry of Social Policy is working on implementing a larger basic social assistance. She announced that payments will increase next year.

Subsidy

Starting December 1 of this year, subsidies in Ukraine will be granted until the end of the heating season, that is, until April 30, and this rule will remain in effect in 2025. As reported by the Pension Fund, starting January 1, 2025, when submitting documents