12 million Ukrainians do not reach the minimum subsistence level

23% of Ukrainians in urban areas and every third person – 38% - in rural areas receive incomes lower than the minimum subsistence level.

According to the Department of Statistics one in 200 Ukrainian families is receiving less than 300 UAH (around 30 Euros) per person per month; one in forty families  – from 300 to 400 UAH per person per month; in one in 16 from 480 to 660 UAH per month while every 8th family receives between 660 and 840 UAH per person per month.

This means that more than 12 million Ukrainians have an average income lower than the minimum subsistence level. 

At the same time the average income per person per month during the first half of 2010 came to 1,222 UAH per month.  This varied from 1309 UAH for people in urban areas to 1037 in rural.

The Cabinet of Ministers  has decided not to review social standards in July 2011, and according to the draft Budget, there will be no increase in social benefits from April to October.

The 2011 draft Budget also changes the mechanism for raising social standards. For the first time in 3 years, social benefits will be reviewed not 5 times, but only 4.