Ukrainians were told the date of large-scale pension indexation: how much payments will increase.

Ukraine is expected to index pensions in March 2025. The government will ensure compliance with the legislative norm regarding the recalculation of payments. The size of the indexation is still unknown.

• Pensions may increase by almost 17%.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that pension indexation will be carried out in March 2025, similar to the practice in 2023 and 2024. However, experts claim that the current indexation mechanism does not solve the problem of gradually decreasing payments. Over five years, the calculated pension amount may lose about 60% compared to the pension of a Ukrainian who retires now under the same conditions.

In the example of a 66-year-old pensioner with a minimum pension of 3200 hryvnias (40% of the minimum wage), an indexation of 16.95% will lead to an increase in payment by 308 hryvnias, which means the actual growth will be 9.6%.

According to forecasts by the National Bank of Ukraine, inflation in 2024 is expected to be at 8.2%. The average salary over three years will grow by 12.7%. Based on this data, the indexation in 2025 may be 16.95%. At the same Time, it is worth noting that the increase will only affect the "naked pension" without considering additional surcharges.

The indexation will not affect "new" pensions and those who have retired in the last few years. In 2024, the government set temporary limits: the maximum increase is limited to 1500 hryvnias, and the minimum is set at 100 hryvnias.

Demographer Lyudmyla Cherenko points out that the largest group at risk of poverty is people aged 75 and over, who then lose the ability to work and tend private plots.

The budget declaration provides for maintaining the minimum pension at 2361 hryvnias in 2025, which, considering inflation, actually means a decrease in payments. Parliamentarians promise to prevent this and provide for an increase in minimum pensions in the budget draft.

As part of the planned pension reform, there is consideration of changing the calculation formula, for example, taking into account pension points instead of the salary base. The main tasks of the reform are to ensure equal pensions for people with the same rights and gradually compensate for the devaluation of pensions for those who retired a long time ago.