In Ukraine, the number of cases where pensions are temporarily suspended or completely terminated is increasing. According to lawyer Mykhailo Vulakh, this happens both due to formal reasons and due to technical errors or changes in legislation. Often, the decisions of the Pension Fund turn out to be unlawful, but most pensioners do not appeal them due to lack of information or the complexity of the bureaucratic procedure. This is reported by the publication “On Pension”.
The lawyer explains that a significant part of the suspension of payments occurs automatically. A common reason is the lack of movement of funds in the pension account for six months - the system perceives this as a sign of “inactivity” of the recipient. Suspension can also be caused by errors in documents that affect the length of service, untimely identification, missed MSEK in case of disability, or unconfirmed place of residence, which primarily concerns people from temporarily occupied territories.
In such cases, the pension is initially suspended. If a person does not provide updated documents for a long time, the PFU may stop payments completely. At the same time, legal practice shows that it is still possible to resume accruals and repay the debt.
If the underpayment is due to the fault of the pensioner himself - for example, due to missed deadlines for submitting certificates - the state will only refund the amount for the last three years. But in the case of an error by the Pension Fund or an illegal refusal to pay, courts often oblige to compensate the entire amount, even if it concerns a period of seven to ten years or more.
The real decrease in the purchasing power of pensions is also becoming a problem. In 2025, indexation amounted to 11.5%, while prices for individual products and services increased many times faster. According to analysts, vegetables became more expensive by 48%, butter by 34%, and utilities by 19%. This means that even a timely accrued pension covers less basic expenses than before.
A separate category of problems is related to the inability to apply for a pension due to new requirements for insurance experience. Even those Ukrainians who have worked for decades may not receive a payment at age 60 if they have not accumulated the required number of insured years, and therefore are forced to either work longer or wait to reach a later retirement age.
Lawyers advise pensioners and people approaching retirement to regularly check the data in their account on the PFU portal, make at least minimal transactions from the pension account once every few months, keep copies of all certificates, and demand written explanations in case of disputes with the Pension Fund.
According to Mykhailo Vulakh, understanding one's rights and taking timely action often allow one to return illegally unpaid money. In most cases, courts side with pensioners if a mistake or groundless refusal on the part of state bodies is proven.
