According to Cabinet of Ministers resolution No. 1364 of 30 October, the Cabinet of Ministers reallocated 17.5 billion UAH in the Ministry of Social Policy’s 2026 budget. Member of Parliament Nina Yuzhanina drew attention to the changes.
Which programmes saw spending cuts
The total reduction in spending across several social programmes amounts to 17.5 billion UAH. Reductions are planned in the following areas:
- housing subsidies and benefits — by 1.8 billion UAH;
- social protection of children and families — by 6.5 billion UAH;
- social protection of citizens in difficult life circumstances — by 9.2 billion UAH.
The decision specifies the reduction of certain budget allocations within the programmes of the Ministry of Social Policy. The document does not remove funds from the ministry’s overall budget but changes the distribution between its programmes.
Where the additional funds were directed
At the same time the government increased funding for other programmes, mainly for pension payments and covering the deficit of the Pension Fund (deficit — a situation where expenditures exceed the fund’s revenues). Under the changes, 16.4 billion UAH is being added for pension payments and to cover the Pension Fund’s deficit.
In addition, funding for payments to certain categories of the population was increased by 260 million UAH, and for the social protection of people with disabilities by 850 million UAH. The decision emphasises that these funds have been reallocated within the Ministry of Social Policy’s budget.
Nina Yuzhanina’s comment on one-off payments
Nina Yuzhanina drew attention to the reallocation in the context of the government’s announced one-off payments, notably the “Zelensky Thousand” and the “Winter 1,500 UAH”. “Society needs to understand from which exact sources such initiatives are financed,” said Member of Parliament Nina Yuzhanina.
The MP reminded that last year the government explained the financing of one-off payments through existing programmes of the Ministry of Social Policy. She also asked whether this represents an actual saving of funds or a change in the need for financing social protection programmes for children, families and people in difficult life circumstances.
