Ukrainians Will Lose 20% Pension Supplements: Who Will Be Affected by the Changes.

A significant portion of Ukrainians living in mountainous regions and receiving a 20% supplement to pensions, scholarships, and social assistance may lose these benefits due to a new draft law being considered in the Verkhovna Rada. A decision on changes to the conditions for providing financial support to residents of mountainous areas may be made soon.

'The Verkhovna Rada is preparing another surprise for a significant portion of Ukrainians,' said pension expert and journalist Serhii Korobkin.

According to the expert, the basis for these changes arose after an audit of the Pension Fund conducted by the Accounting Chamber last year. The government received recommendations on ways to save on pensions. Now not only the actual place of residence of recipients of supplements is being checked, but the mechanism for providing the status of mountainous settlements is also under review. ### New Legislative Initiative The registered draft law No. 13237 contains radical changes. The initiator of the project is the head of the relevant committee Halyna Tretiakova, whose goal is 'updating the criteria' and 'increasing the effectiveness of support.' There is concern that the draft law provides for the cancellation of the existing law on mountainous settlements and the introduction of a new approach. - **Change of Settlement Status:** The new practice involves changing the status of a 'mountainous' settlement, which will reflect not only geographical characteristics but also socio-economic factors. This may lead to a reduction in the list of such settlements. - **Targeted Assistance:** The supplement will only be received by individuals with low income levels, which will be determined by government decisions. - **Change in the Size of the Supplement:** The new law will allow not only for an increase but also the possibility of not increasing pensions and other types of assistance by 20%. **Expert Opinion** Experts emphasize that the proposed changes may lead to a reduction in the list of mountainous settlements, a decrease in the number of recipients of supplements, and increased control from the authorities. This could result in the loss of important social support for many Ukrainians. Ukrainians living in mountainous areas and receiving additional benefits to pensions and social payments may lose their support due to a new draft law that proposes radical changes in determining the status of mountainous settlements. Experts are outraged by this decision, which could significantly deprive residents of the mountains of important social benefits and become a barrier for many citizens of Ukraine.