Starting January 1, 2026, in Ukraine, the salaries of workers in the social sphere and providers of social and rehabilitation services will significantly increase.
The corresponding decision was made by the Government on the initiative of the Ministry of Social Policy, Family, and Unity of Ukraine, approving the application of a 2.5 coefficient for determining the size of salaries. According to the Ministry, this means an approximate 150% increase in salaries. Specifically, the salary of a social manager (15th grade) will increase from 8,243 UAH to 20,607 UAH, and a social work specialist (12th grade) from 6,773 UAH to 16,932 UAH.
Representative of the Ombudsman’s Office and member of the Lviv Regional Council, Taras Podvirny, emphasized that this decision was preceded by systemic work at regional and state levels. On his initiative, on September 30, 2025, the Lviv Regional Council appealed to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the Cabinet of Ministers with a demand to review the remuneration of social workers. “These are not ‘bonuses’ or one-time payments. This is a change in the basic approach. It’s a recognition that social work is not a secondary field, but a critical infrastructure for the state’s resilience during wartime”, said Taras Podvirny.
He also emphasized that during the full-scale invasion, social workers became a support for internally displaced persons, the elderly, people with disabilities, and those who survived occupation, violence, and loss of home. “Social policy does not operate in ‘request’ mode. It operates in decision mode”, added the deputy, noting that the adopted decision is important but only the first step towards systematically strengthening the social sphere and providing decent pay for those who work daily with the most vulnerable categories of the population.