More than 150 different types of payments are tied to the cost of living.
The living wage in Ukraine is the basic state standard on the basis of which social guarantees are determined, reports the Chronicle.info with reference to RBC-Ukraine.
Payments depending on the minimum
The size of the subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons primarily affects the salaries of employees of state bodies. The minimum size of their official salary cannot be less than two times the subsistence minimum. In addition, it affects the amount of unemployment benefits. The maximum allowance is set at four times the minimum.
The subsistence minimum for disabled persons affects the amount of the pension. In fact, this is the minimum pension.
The subsistence level for children affects social benefits and the amount of alimony. In particular, alimony cannot be less than 50% of the subsistence minimum for a child of a certain age. At the same time, the recommended amount of alimony is equal to the subsistence minimum.
In addition, the fee for compulsory state pension insurance when registering new cars depends on the living wage for the able-bodied.
Fine, monetary penalties for administrative, criminal and other violations are also attached to the living wage.
budget
The subsistence minimum is determined in the law on the state budget. As a rule, during the year it changes twice on July 1 and December 1. The subsistence minimum is different for able-bodied persons, the disabled and for children.
In 2022, the subsistence minimum per person per month is set at the rate of January 1 — 2393 hryvnia, from July 1 — 2508 hryvnia, from December 1 — 2589 hryvnia, and for the main social and demographic groups of the population:
- children under the age of 6: from January 1 — 2100 hryvnia, from July 1 — 2201 hryvnia, from December 1 — 2272 hryvnia;
- children aged 6 to 18: from January 1 — 2618 hryvnias, from July 1 — 2744 hryvnia, from December 1 — 2833 hryvnia;
- able-bodied persons: from January 1 — 2481 hryvnia, from July 1 — 2600 hryvnia, from December 1 — hryvnia 2684;
- for able-bodied persons, which is used to determine the basic size of the official salary of a judge: from January 1 — 2102 hryvnia;
- able-bodied persons, which is used to determine the official salaries of employees of other state bodies, whose remuneration is regulated by special laws, as well as employees of tax and customs authorities: from January 1 & # 8212; 2102 hryvnia;
- for able-bodied persons, which is used to determine the official salary of the prosecutor of the district prosecutor's office: from January 1 — 1600 hryvnia;
- persons who have lost their ability to work: from January 1 — 1934 hryvnia, from July 1 — 2027 hryvnia, from December 1 — 2093 hryvnia.
Below the poverty line
The official size of the subsistence minimum has long been divorced from its real value. This is recognized by the Ministry of Social Policy. According to the agency, at the beginning of 2021, the difference was twofold.
According to the State Statistics Service, in 2020, 0.6 million (1.6%) citizens of Ukraine received incomes below the legally established subsistence level. The official minimum was 2078 hryvnia. And incomes below the actual subsistence level were received by 8.8 million (23.2%) citizens of Ukraine. The amount of the actual minimum amounted to 3847 hryvnia per month.
Legislative proposals
In January 2021, the Cabinet of Ministers sent a package of laws to the Rada in order to change the approach to the subsistence minimum. It was proposed to use the base value for cash payments and penalties to calculate penalties and administrative penalties, and to calculate the amount of payment for the provision of administrative services (administrative fee) — the basic amount for administrative fees.
As noted by the government, more than 150 different types of payments are tied to the subsistence minimum, which has a significant impact on planning expenditures of budgets of all levels. Some of these payments have nothing to do with the subsistence minimum as a criterion of poverty (for example, fines, monetary penalties for administrative, criminal and other violations).
However, the bills have not yet been adopted by the Verkhovna Rada.
< p>Let's recall the law of Ukraine «On the state budget of Ukraine for 2022» the size of the subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons was established from January 1, 2022 — 2481 UAH