In April, Ukrainians will face a number of changes – new payments will be received by the least protected citizens. The government will also partially reimburse high fuel prices by the end of the month, and teachers of clubs and sports sections are promised higher salaries. But some pensioners will be deprived of their pensions. Traditionally, most of the changes will concern finances – both personal and state. We have collected the main things that may be important for most of us.<\/p>\n
Who and why will be deprived of pensions<\/p>\n
From April 1, some Ukrainian pensioners will stop receiving pensions. These are those people who are in the occupied territories or have left them for the territory controlled by Ukraine or abroad, but have not reported by the specified date that they do not receive pensions from Russia. This will apply even to those who have been identified, that is, confirmed their data and place of residence. Initially, according to the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, this requirement provided for a deadline for such notification on February 1, 2026, but the government decided to postpone this deadline for two months, giving additional time for notification. This could be done through a personal account on the Pension Fund\u2019s web portal, during a video conference via social networks, answering a specialist\u2019s question, or in person, by contacting the PFU service center. Ukrainian state authorities do not exchange information with the pension authorities of Russia as an aggressor state, therefore, all responsibility for the information provided lies with the pensioner, the PFU emphasizes. If the falsity of the data is established, these actions will be regarded as fraud.<\/p>\n
What about the \u201cOLX tax\u201d and parcels<\/p>\n
On April 7-9, the parliament is to consider a package of tax laws, the adoption of which is required by the International Monetary Fund. The Verkhovna Rada has been refusing to consider these draft laws for several months. However, assistance from the IMF and other donors, which Ukraine critically needs, depends on their adoption. The last attempt to adopt one of the laws from the tax package – on the tax on digital platforms, or the “OLX tax” – failed the parliament on March 10. On March 30, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the tax bills, slightly amending them, and will soon submit them for consideration by the Verkhovna Rada again. The main innovation is that their implementation is planned from January 1, 2027, and not in the near future. In addition to the law on the “tax and OLX”, the Verkhovna Rada must adopt a law on the abolition of benefits for sending parcels worth up to 150 euros. As for the military tax, in the new version of the bill the government proposes to introduce it at a rate of 5% for three years after the lifting of martial law. In the previous bill, the 5% military levy was to be in effect after the war on a permanent basis. The fourth is the most controversial law on the introduction of VAT for individual entrepreneurs who receive an annual income of over one million hryvnias. However, it is possible that the government will not submit it for consideration by the Rada in the near future.<\/p>\n
According to Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a deputy from the Holos faction, the government is seeking to pass laws through a fast-track procedure in order to have a result before the government delegation flies to Washington for the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings. This traditional meeting of financiers is scheduled for April 13-18.<\/p>\n
UAH 1,500 in aid for pensioners, the disabled and the low-income<\/p>\n
In April, pensioners and those receiving social assistance will receive an additional one-time payment of UAH 1,500. The goal is to support socially vulnerable categories of citizens. The government resolution lists quite a large number of those who can receive payments. According to the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity, about 13 million Ukrainians will receive the payment. Only pensioners who have the maximum pension, i.e. UAH 25,595, cannot claim this assistance. Veterans who have participated in the war since 2014, liquidators of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident will receive 1,500 UAH regardless of the amount of pension received.<\/p>\n
“The payment will be made automatically through the usual channels for receiving pensions or social payments – to bank accounts or through Ukrposhta branches. Recipients do not need to submit applications, contact social protection agencies or collect additional documents,” the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity explains.<\/p>\n
Opponents of the government have repeatedly criticized such payments in the context of a significant state budget deficit and delays in international aid. At the same time, the ministry says that the decision to pay 1,500 thousand UAH was made possible “thanks to clarifying the number of recipients of social payments and verifying data within the framework of relevant budget programs.”<\/p>\n
Extracurricular Workers May Get a Salary Increase<\/p>\n
From April 12, the salaries of extracurricular teachers will increase. Parliament has introduced amendments to the law “On Extracurricular Education”, which will allow local authorities to independently decide what salaries, allowances, bonuses and other payments should be for teachers of state and municipal institutions. Previously, local communities did not have such financial freedom, since a tariff scale approved by the Cabinet of Ministers was in effect, and the additional payments themselves had clear limits.<\/p>\n
Starting in April, employees of creative centers, art and music schools, sports sections and clubs will have a minimum salary, which will be financed from state or municipal budgets, and local communities will be able to independently establish additional payments and allowances above the norms set by the government.<\/p>\n
However, there are pitfalls in these innovations. The state guarantees to pay only the official salary according to the tariff scale. And the community can now increase the payment at its own discretion. But the amount will depend on the priorities of local authorities and their financial capacity.<\/p>\n
Fuel cashback will be valid for another month<\/p>\n
Until April 30, another program to support Ukrainians will be in effect, namely, the “national cashback” for fuel, which has risen significantly in price in the last month. When buying at a gas station, Ukrainians will be able to receive 15% cashback on diesel fuel, 10% – on gasoline and 5% – on gas. This program will be valid until May 1 at those gas stations that have joined the program. Among them are the largest chains Ukrnafta, WOG, OKKO, BRSM-Nafta, SOCAR. Cashback is accrued only when paying for fuel with a card connected to the “National Cashback” program. As in previous programs, the refunded funds can be spent on food, utility bills, medicines, books, and to help the army.<\/p>\n
To the Schengen countries – only through the EES system<\/p>\n
On April 10, the EES system, which replaced the manual stamping of foreign passports with electronic registration of biometrics, will begin operating at all border crossing points of the Schengen area. The procedure provides for the mandatory collection of biometric data (fingerprints and photo) at the first crossing, automatic counting of days of stay, and the use of self-service kiosks. The EES will automatically record the date and place of entry\/exit, as well as calculate the duration of stay of foreigners in EU countries. This will allow for the rapid identification of violators. Since October 2025, the EES has been operating in test mode.<\/p>\n
The rules for entering the EU have changed. How will this affect Ukrainians<\/p>\n
And by the end of 2026, it is planned to implement the ETIAS system – an electronic permit for visa-free entry to the EU for third-country nationals. It will be necessary to pay 7 euros for this permit for everyone aged 18 to 70. The permit will be free of charge for children and the elderly. At the same time, the system will not apply to those who already have temporary protection, such as Ukrainians, or a residence permit in EU countries.<\/p>\n
Cigarettes will become more expensive again<\/p>\n
From April 1, the excise tax on cigarettes will increase again, which will lead to an increase in their price by approximately 10%. The increase is explained by the harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with the tax policy of the European Union, which provides for a gradual increase in excise duties in order to reduce cigarette consumption, the government says. In addition, the increase in excise duties provides greater revenues to the state budget. The minimum excise duty will increase from 82 euros to 90.2 euros per 1,000 pieces. According to market experts, as a result, retail prices for cigarettes will increase by 10%, and a pack may become more expensive by approximately 10 hryvnias. According to the public organization “Life”, citing data from the Treasury of Ukraine, in 2025, revenues from excise duties on tobacco and nicotine products reached 122.5 billion hryvnias and exceeded the figure for 2024 by 27%. Cigarette consumption decreased by 10%.<\/p>\n
“The reduction in tobacco consumption and the increase in state budget revenues were made possible by the effective policy of increasing excise taxes in accordance with Ukraine’s European integration obligations,” the NGO “Zhyttya” emphasizes.<\/p>\n
Automatic control of fictitious sick leave<\/p>\n
From April 1, the system for issuing electronic sick leave will become stricter. Such sick leave will become the only legal way to record incapacity for work. Amendments to the law “On Compulsory State Social Insurance”, which are coming into force, also establish automatic control of the issuance of sick leave certificates and increase the responsibility of doctors for issuing them. Until April, this automated system worked in test mode. The system will detect suspicious electronic sick leave certificates and, if there are any, payments will be automatically blocked until specialists from the Pension Fund check them. If it turns out that the sick leave was unfounded, the social security payment for it may be forced to be returned. For example, the automatic system will see cases when the same doctor issues multiple sick leaves or if a patient opens several sick leaves with different doctors at the same time. Paper sick leaves will be possible only under several conditions. In particular, when there is no electricity and internet in the hospital for five days, as well as when the sick leave cannot be generated in the Pension Fund register for a week due to technical errors in the system. If a paper sick leave was opened for a patient before April 1, it will also be closed or extended on paper. The electronic sick leave system was introduced in October 2021.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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