Funeral Allowance After the Death of a Pensioner in Ukraine

The Ukrainian state provides its citizens with various social benefits in the amounts and according to the procedures established by law. Such payments include funeral allowance.

Funeral allowance payments are regulated by the Law of Ukraine “On Compulsory State Social Insurance”. The Law of Ukraine “On Compulsory State Pension Insurance” provides more detailed rules regarding the funeral allowance payable in the event of a pensioner’s death.

Therefore, let us consider an important issue in the field of social protection – the amount of funeral allowance for a pensioner. Ukrainian legislation provides that, in the event of a pensioner’s death, the person who arranged and paid for the funeral is entitled to receive a funeral allowance for the deceased pensioner. As a general rule, the allowance is paid in the amount of two monthly pensions that the deceased pensioner was receiving at the time of death. The funeral allowance is granted on the basis of information confirming the pensioner’s death contained in the State Register of Civil Status Acts.

Another important question concerns the authority responsible for granting and paying the funeral allowance for a pensioner. In the event of a pensioner’s death, the relevant pension authority responsible for the deceased person’s pension payments processes the funeral allowance. In practice, this falls within the competence of the Pension Fund of Ukraine.

It is important to distinguish between the funeral allowance and the pension amounts that remained unpaid at the time of the pensioner’s death. Family members may have the right to claim the pension amounts due to the deceased pensioner in accordance with the procedure and within the time limits established by Ukrainian legislation. If such amounts are not claimed within the applicable period, the issue of their inheritance may arise.

Documents required to apply for a funeral allowance may include:

1. A passport or another identity document.

2. An application for the relevant payment.

3. A document confirming the pensioner’s death or information from the State Register of Civil Status Acts, where required.

Depending on the circumstances and the current procedure applied by the Pension Fund of Ukraine, additional documents or information may also be required.

The person applying for the payment should ensure that the application contains all the information required for processing the funeral allowance. Incomplete information or missing documents may delay consideration of the application.

The procedure for receiving a funeral allowance following the death of a pensioner in Ukraine should also be distinguished from the procedure for receiving an unpaid pension. Therefore, before submitting an application to the Pension Fund of Ukraine, it is advisable to determine which payments the applicant is entitled to claim and prepare the appropriate supporting documents.