Arranging permanent care for persons who need it

What is care and who needs it?

Long-term care is a systematic, ongoing support for a person who has lost the ability to self-care and requires outside assistance with daily living and health monitoring. Formalizing care legalizes the caregiver’s status and opens access to state guarantees: social assistance for care, a monthly care compensation, counting of insurance service record, and a preferential work regime. The legal grounds are defined by the Law “On Social Services” (2025 edition), the Law “On Mandatory State Social Insurance,” the Civil Code, and Procedure No. 1192 (CMU Resolution of 23 December 2024).

From 1 January 2025, the medical-social expert commissions (MSEC) were disbanded; they were replaced by Expert Commissions on Functioning Assessment (ECFA) operating in cluster hospitals. ECFA conclusions are recorded in the MoH electronic system and serve as grounds for assigning social payments.

Person with Group I disability

Care for a person with a Group I disability is one of the most demanding forms of guardianship: the care recipient is completely incapacitated, and motor or cognitive impairments make independent household management impossible. Formalizing care grants the caregiver the following benefits:

• the right to an annual unpaid leave of up to 30 calendar days;
• counting the care period toward the insurance service record;
• access to rehabilitation programs of the Fund for Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities.

Medical grounds: an ECFA conclusion and Form 157-1/o issued by a family doctor.

In addition to basic cash guarantees, the state pays the single social contribution (SSC) for the person with a disability, so the caregiver’s full insurance service record is counted even without formal employment. The care recipient can receive technical and rehabilitation aids free of charge (wheelchairs, lifts, orthopedic mattresses)—the application for them is submitted simultaneously with the care paperwork.

Person aged 80+ (and bedridden patients)

After the age of 80, any citizen of Ukraine may claim outside assistance. Care for an elderly person of 80 years is arranged through the local Department of Social Protection (USZN). The procedure requires: an application, a medical opinion from a family doctor, and a home conditions inspection report. For bedridden patients of a younger age, the grounds are an ECFA conclusion on a complete loss of self-care capacity.

Persons 80+ are entitled to a visiting nurse service that periodically checks health status and adjusts the home care plan; assigning compensation does not cancel the right to this service. Bedridden patients may also be granted targeted assistance for consumable medical supplies (pads, catheters), which significantly reduces the family’s financial burden.

Who is eligible to be a caregiver — relative, guardian, paid carer

Caregiver status can be granted to any legally competent citizen who actually provides the full range of services:

• a close relative (spouse, adult children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters);
• a guardian appointed by the guardianship authority;
• a third-party carer who has concluded a civil-law or employment contract.

A mandatory condition is the absence of full-time official employment, confirmed by an income declaration and a certificate from the State Tax Service.

The caregiver candidate additionally undergoes a criminal record check for serious crimes and domestic violence; the MIA certificate is submitted along with the income declaration. The law also limits the number of care recipients: one person may officially care for a maximum of two individuals to ensure proper quality of care.

Advantages of applying through “Pravovyi Lider”

Professional document preparation

Our lawyers draft applications, obtain medical opinions, and register the care certificate in Diia so the client can access the service online. We monitor all legislative changes to keep the package current on the filing date.

Legal support at every stage

Specialists represent the client’s interests before the USZN, control deadlines under Procedure No. 1192, and appeal potential refusals. In case of conflict with social protection bodies, we prepare reasoned objections and submissions.

Obtaining social payments and compensations

We help promptly assign social assistance for care and monthly compensation—70–100% of the subsistence minimum. If necessary, we appeal payment delays through administrative or judicial mechanisms.

How we work (cooperation stages)

Consultation

First, a lawyer conducts a free phone or online session to determine the care recipient’s category, assess available medical documents, and explain the difference between social assistance and care compensation. The client immediately receives a preliminary calculation of future payments and a personalized document checklist. If part of the certificates can be requested via Diia, we provide step-by-step instructions, saving the family time and money.

Document preparation

At the second stage, we draft applications, fill in the income declaration, schedule the doctor’s visit to obtain Form 157-1/o, and prepare a request to the Expert Commission on Functioning Assessment (ECFA). If needed, the lawyer requests notarized passport copies, registry extracts, and a home inspection report. Finally, we prepare a scan folder so documents are available in electronic form.

Submission to Social Protection / Guardianship bodies

The completed package is submitted via the CNAP or the USZN front office. Our representative tracks the case registration number and notes the date when the 10-day verification period under Procedure No. 1192 begins. If a USZN employee demands extra certificates, the lawyer cites the legal norm and ensures acceptance without unjustified add-ons.

Receiving certificates / payments

After a positive decision, we collect the administrative act and register the care certificate in Diia so the client can display it electronically at any time. At the same time, we open a social bank account to receive monthly payments. The first funds are usually transferred in the next calendar month.

Support before the commission / home inspection

If the territorial commission schedules a home visit, our attorney attends, monitors compliance with the regulations, and drafts a remark act in case of violations. If needed, we prepare written explanations and add additional specialists’ opinions so the commission has a complete picture of the person’s health and living conditions.

Required documents

To start the procedure, you must submit a full package confirming identity, the care recipient’s medical condition, and the legal grounds for providing care. The basic list includes:

• Passport, tax number
• Disability certificate / ECFA conclusion
• Medical certificate, Form 157-1/o
• Income declaration, application
• Home conditions inspection report
• Bank account details

Legal framework and social payments

The core regulation consists of Procedure No. 1192, the Law of Ukraine “On Social Services,” and Law No. 4170-IX, which abolished the MSEC and introduced the Expert Commissions on Functioning Assessment (ECFA); in addition, CMU Resolution No. 832 on cash assistance for certain categories of persons and MoH Order No. 1252 on medical forms apply.

The monthly financial support amounts to 100% of the subsistence minimum (SM) for care of a Group I disabled person and 70% of the SM for care of a person aged 80 or a bedridden patient; in 2025, these are UAH 4,398 and UAH 3,078 respectively. Amounts are indexed twice a year (1 January and 1 July) along with SM increases, transferred to the social account by the 25th of each month, and are not taxed. The funds are not counted when assigning housing subsidies, but are included in the household’s total income for some benefits, so it is important to update the care certificate in Diia in a timely manner.

FAQ

Who can formalize care — only relatives, or third parties as well?

A third party has the right if they actually live with the care recipient and provide the full range of services. If there are relatives, their written consent is required.

What is the compensation amount for caring for a disabled or elderly person?

The amount is 70% or 100% of the subsistence minimum depending on the care recipient’s category; the sums are indexed twice a year.

How long does it take to process all documents and pass the commissions?

Under the standard procedure — about 30 days, and up to 60 days if additional home inspections are required.

Can I arrange care without a lawyer?

Yes. However, applications without professional preparation are more often returned for revision or refused due to errors; consulting a specialist reduces the risk of refusal and speeds up payments.