Communities will play a defined role in the new system of state social support for families. The executive bodies of local councils will be responsible for identifying families in difficult circumstances or crisis situations, informing them of their right to assistance, providing advice, and helping them to prepare the necessary documentation. Meanwhile, cash payments will be funded from the State Budget, and support for families will also include social services and assistance with finding employment.

This approach is set out in the Law of Ukraine “On Basic Social Assistance” No. 5012-IX dated 13 October 2026, which was signed by the President of Ukraine on 28 October and published in “Holos Ukrainy” on 29 October.

The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy and the Protection of Veterans’ Rights outlined the main provisions of the document and its significance for the social protection system.

The Law introduces a new mechanism to support low-income families and families in crisis. It aims to make state assistance more targeted, ensure a timely response to difficult life circumstances, and promote the economic self-sufficiency of families.

It is important that the new system will not come into effect immediately: the Law will come into force on 1 January 2028. This means that communities have time to prepare for the changes.

 

Changes in the approach to social support

As explained by the parliamentary committee, the Law provides for a shift from a predominantly category-based approach to an assessment of a family’s actual material and social circumstances.

Currently, entitlement to certain types of state assistance is largely linked to whether an individual or family belongs to a specific category. The new model involves taking into account a combination of circumstances: family composition, income, financial circumstances, and individual needs.

To achieve this, a basic social assistance scheme is to be introduced – a monthly cash payment, the amount of which will depend on:

• family composition;
• average monthly total income;
• financial circumstances.

Moreover, according to the Committee, the amount of basic social assistance cannot be less than the total amount of state support that the family or individual was receiving on the date of application.

To determine the need for assistance, an automated system for profiling families is envisaged, which will use information from public electronic registers and state information resources.

This mechanism should provide a comprehensive assessment of a family’s situation and enable support to be determined taking into account its specific circumstances.

 

The duration for which basic social assistance will be granted

The Law provides for different durations of assistance depending on the category of recipients and the circumstances in which the family finds itself.

Based on information from the Verkhovna Rada Committee:

• for life – for specifically defined categories of persons;
• for one year – for large families;
• for six months – for families in difficult life circumstances;
• for three months – for families in a crisis situation.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine will have the right to define cases where assistance granted for six months may be automatically extended for a further period of the same duration.

Thus, the duration of assistance will depend on the nature of the family’s needs, and provision is made for its extension in specific cases.

 

Financial assistance, social services, and employment support – components of a single system

One of the key features of the new model will be the combination of financial support with social services and employment support measures.

As the Committee notes, the allocation of basic social assistance will proceed simultaneously with the organisation of social services and measures to promote the employment of non-working, able-bodied family members.

A social manager is to be appointed to assess the family’s needs and draw up a case management plan.

For unemployed family members of working age, personalised support, social support, an individual employment plan and an individual plan for the provision of social services are provided for.

In practice, this approach recognises that a family in difficult circumstances does not always need financial assistance alone.

The causes of their difficulties may include job loss, health problems, the need to care for a family member, a lack of access to certain services, or a combination of several such problems.

Therefore, overcoming difficult life circumstances may require the coordinated efforts of several institutions and specialists.

This is particularly important for local self-government, because a significant proportion of social services are organised and provided at the community level.

 

Social contract: New mechanism for cooperation between the state, the community, and the family

The Law introduces the social contract as a mechanism for cooperation between the state, the community, and the family.

According to the Verkhovna Rada Committee, its aim is to jointly overcome difficult life circumstances or crisis situations and to promote the family’s economic self-sufficiency.

This means that support will be considered in the context of the family’s specific needs and the measures that can help improve their situation.

Needs assessment and the planning of individualised support will play a key role in this process.

For communities, the introduction of such a mechanism raises the issue of coordination between social services, social service providers, employment services, and other institutions to which families may turn.

 

The practical mechanism of the social contract will require particular attention during preparations for the implementation of the Law. In particular, it will be important to understand what obligations each party will have, who will coordinate the implementation of the agreed measures, and how their outcomes will be assessed. The Committee’s statement does not elaborate on these procedural issues in detail.

 

Tasks assigned to the executive bodies of local councils

The Committee’s report specifically emphasises the role of communities in the new social support system.

The executive bodies of local councils are to ensure:

• the identification of families in difficult life circumstances or crisis situations;
• informing such families of their right to receive basic social assistance;
• providing counselling;
• assisting with the preparation of the necessary documents.

These tasks involve working directly with people at the local level.

In particular, it is important to identify, in a timely manner, families who need support but, for one reason or another, do not seek help on their own.

The availability of information will also be crucial: people have to understand who is entitled to benefits, where to apply and what documents are required.

At the same time, the Law provides for a broader support mechanism than simply providing information and processing documents. It covers social services, social support, and measures to promote employment.

This will require coordinated work between the relevant services and institutions.

 

Who will fund the assistance and how the powers will be delineated

The Verkhovna Rada Committee states that the payment of basic social assistance is to be funded from the State Budget of Ukraine.

Funds from international donors, international technical assistance, charitable contributions, and other sources not prohibited by law may also be used.

Thus, the Committee’s statement specifies that the financial assistance will be funded by the state in the form of cash payments.

At the same time, it is of fundamental importance for local self-government to distinguish between financial responsibility for the payment of assistance and organisational responsibility for working with families.

 

It follows from the Committee’s statement that the state will provide funding for basic social assistance, whereas the executive bodies of local councils will perform specific tasks of identification, provision of information, counselling, and assistance with the preparation of documentation. However, it cannot be concluded from this that all costs associated with the implementation of the new system at the local level will automatically be covered by the State Budget.

Separate regulatory clarification will be required on issues such as the organisation of social managers’ work, the coordination of social support, interaction with employment services, and the provision of resources for the relevant functions.

It is important for communities that the introduction of the new model is accompanied by a clear definition of the responsible bodies, procedures for interaction and sources of funding. Otherwise, a situation may arise where the volume of tasks at the local level increases without adequate resources. This is a potential risk that requires attention when preparing the mechanisms for implementing the Law, rather than an established fact of shifting state expenditure onto local budgets.

 

The transition to the new system

The Law will come into force on 1 January 2028.

The Verkhovna Rada Committee reports that a transitional period is envisaged throughout 2028, during which certain categories of recipients of state social assistance will be able to switch to basic social assistance.

In particular, this applies to families and individuals who receive:

• state social assistance for low-income families;
• assistance for single mothers;
• child benefit for large families;
• temporary state assistance for children in cases specified by law;
• state social assistance for people not entitled to a pension and for people with disabilities.

The option to switch is available from 1 January to 31 December 2028.

Importantly, this involves the gradual introduction of the new system, rather than the immediate cessation of all previously allocated forms of state assistance.

This will be important for informing the public and organising the work of the institutions to which benefit recipients will turn.

 

What communities should start preparing for now

Although there is still over a year to go before the Law comes into force, its provisions already outline the areas where preparatory work should focus.

Firstly, assess the capacity of the local social services system. This concerns the availability of specialists who work with families in difficult life circumstances, the capacity to assess needs, the organisation of social support, and the accessibility of services.

Secondly, analyse the cooperation between institutions. The new model involves a combination of financial assistance, social services, and employment support. It is therefore important to understand how the relevant services cooperate at the local level.

Thirdly, set up a system for informing residents. The transition to the new mechanism may raise questions among people who already receive state assistance. It is particularly important to prevent the spread of false reports about payments being automatically discontinued from 2028.

Fourthly, monitor the adoption of the legislation necessary to implement the Law. The details of the procedures will determine what organisational changes communities will need to make.

Fifthly, assess potential staffing and organisational needs. If the new system involves more intensive, individualised work with families, it is important for communities to assess the capacity of the relevant services in advance.

These areas represent practical recommendations for the preparation of local self-government, rather than additional legal obligations that have already been explicitly set out in the Committee’s statement.

 

From allocating benefits to supporting families

The Law on basic social assistance provides for a change in the approach to state social support.

The new model centres on assessing a family’s actual circumstances, identifying its needs, and combining financial assistance with social services and employment support measures.

For local self-government, the practical provision of those functions performed directly at the community level will be crucial: identifying families, providing information and advice, and facilitating access to support.

At the same time, the effectiveness of the new system will depend on how clearly the mechanisms for cooperation between state bodies, local governments, social service providers, and employment services are defined.

By 1 January 2028, it is important to ensure not only regulatory readiness for the new model, but also a clear division of responsibilities and resources between its participants.

This will enable the mechanisms provided for by the Law to be transformed into accessible and effective support for families in communities.