On August 19, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed Bill No. 14191 in its second reading and as a whole; the bill provides for an increase in state assistance for people with disabilities since childhood and children with disabilities, as well as state funding for a range of social services. A total of 331 members of parliament voted in favor of the decision.
“We welcome the passage of Bill No. 14191—this is an important step toward strengthening state support for people with disabilities since childhood, children with disabilities, and their families. At the same time, the passage of the law is not the end of the work, but merely one of the stages. Now it is important to secure the necessary funding and develop effective mechanisms for implementing the guarantees provided for in the law, so that these changes work in practice and people truly receive the support they deserve,” said Daria Kukurika, executive director of “The League of the Strong” public association.
Bill No. 14191 introduces a new approach to state support for people with disabilities since childhood and children with disabilities—combining cash payments with social, medical, and educational services, including early intervention services.
One of the key changes is a significant increase in the amount of state assistance. For a child with a disability in subgroup A, aged 6 to 18, who is raised in their biological family, the payment is set to increase from 8,840.50 UAH to 18,000 UAH per month. For a child with a disability not classified in subgroup A, the payment will increase from 3,572.50 UAH to 13,500 UAH.
The law also establishes funding for social services for children with disabilities from the state budget. This refers to comprehensive support for children and their families, which must include social, medical, and educational services.
At the same time, while preparing the bill for its second reading, a number of provisions that had raised public concerns were removed.
In particular, a provision that could have led to the cancellation of pensions for people with a Group III disability since childhood was removed. The plan to introduce a piecemeal needs assessment exclusively for children with disabilities was also abandoned. In the final version, the care allowance will once again be granted based on the relevant conclusion of a medical advisory commission.
The mechanism for calculating payments has also been changed. While the model based on a base amount remains in place, it is stipulated that, starting January 1, 2027, this amount cannot be less than 4,000 hryvnias.
Payments to children who are fully supported by the state are regulated separately. For orphans and children deprived of parental care, benefits will be paid in full to their personal accounts until 2028. For other children, half of the funds will be transferred to their personal accounts, and the remainder will go to the institution for social services actually provided under a contract.
The bill was passed after a second review
The decision on August 19 was the result of a second revision of the bill. On July 15, Parliament was unable to pass the bill in its second reading and as a whole—at that time, 163 lawmakers voted in favor of it. At the same time, The Parliament of Ukraine supported sending the bill back for a second reading, which allowed for further revisions.
While preparing the bill for the second reading, some of the comments previously raised by “The League of the Strong” and other civil society organizations were taken into account.
“The League of the Strong” submitted comments and proposals regarding the bill to the relevant committee of the Verkhovna Rada. Representatives of the civil society sector, in particular, drew attention to the risks of narrowing the pool of benefit recipients, the possible elimination of certain payments, a new mechanism for calculating benefits, the piecemeal introduction of needs assessments, and an insufficiently defined mechanism for financing social services.
In the revised version, some of these risks have been eliminated. On July 10, the relevant committee recommended that the Verkhovna Rada adopt the bill in the second reading and as a whole.
The next step will be the implementation of the law’s provisions. Specifically, the Cabinet of Ministers must define the specific procedures for providing and funding new social services in subordinate legislation.
“The League of the Strong” will monitor the development and implementation of the relevant mechanisms to ensure that the social guarantees provided for by law are accessible to people with disabilities and their families.