Permanent Group III disability: list of conditions, criteria and pension calculation

In Ukraine, the status of a Group III disabled person can be granted without a time limit. This decision is made in the presence of specific medical indicators, such as stable vision or hearing impairments, limb amputations, or the consequences of serious surgical interventions. The final amount of financial support depends on individual parameters: insurance record, salary level, and the presence of additional payments.

Who assigns the status and how it works

Group III disability is assigned to individuals who have moderate impairments of body functions that limit their daily activity. Following the reorganisation of the medical and social expert commissions (MSEC) system, the authority to make decisions has been transferred to expert teams for assessing an individual's daily functioning.

For certain diagnoses, the law provides for the possibility of establishing disability without setting a date for re-examination. The relevant list of conditions was approved by a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 21 January 2015, No. 10. However, the mere fact of having a specific disease does not guarantee the automatic assignment of a group; the decision is made taking into account the general state of health and compliance with the criteria.

List of conditions for permanent assignment

Legislation identifies several key categories of medical indicators that allow disability to be established permanently.

Impairments of sensory organs and speech

• The absence of one eye or stable complete ptosis (drooping of the upper eyelid) of one eye, if restorative treatment has not yielded results.
• Defined degrees of blindness and narrowing of the visual field.
• Bilateral profound deafness, where surgical correction is impossible.
• The presence of a stable tracheostomy.
• Severe impairments of laryngeal functions, in particular stable aphonia (loss of voice) of organic origin.
• Defects of the jaw or hard palate that significantly complicate chewing and swallowing.
• Cases of sensory aphasia that are not amenable to speech therapy rehabilitation.

Pathologies of the nervous system and motor functions

• Paralysis of the hand, if physical rehabilitation has not yielded a positive result.
• Moderate paresis of a limb, accompanied by a significant limitation of active movements in the joints.
• Certain cases of Parkinson's syndrome.
• Defects of the skull bones with an area of 3 square centimetres or more, which are not filled with autograft (own bone tissue).
• Certain consequences of brain injuries.
• Dwarfism with defined height indicators.

Amputations and impairments of limb functions

• A stump of the upper limb at the level of the radiocarpal joint or higher.
• A stump of the thigh or lower leg.
• A stump of the foot at the level of the Lisfranc joint or higher.
• The loss of a certain number of fingers on the hand.
• Markedly pronounced contractures or ankylosis of large joints.
• False joints of individual limb bones under defined conditions.
• Shortening of the lower limb by 7 centimetres or more.
• The presence of endoprostheses of the knee or hip joint, as well as the diaphysis of large tubular bones.
• Certain severe deformities of the spine and chest.

Consequences of operations and diseases of internal organs

• Removal of the stomach, pancreas, or large intestine under certain conditions.
• Severe forms of hypothyroidism and adrenal insufficiency that are not amenable to adequate treatment.
• The presence of an artificial heart valve or a functioning pacemaker.
• A single functioning kidney.
• The absence of one lung.
• Bilateral mastectomy or unilateral mastectomy as a result of a malignant neoplasm.
• The absence of the urinary bladder or defined consequences of its removal.
• Rare genetic diseases that require constant specific therapy.
• Extended removal of the uterus with appendages due to an oncological disease.

For many of the listed conditions, there are additional criteria, in particular the degree of functional impairment and the results of rehabilitation measures.

Pension amount and record requirements

The Group III disability pension is calculated individually. As a general rule, its amount is 50% of the old-age pension that would have been calculated for the specific individual. However, the final sum may differ depending on minimum state guarantees and the right to additional payments.

An insurance record is required for the assignment of a pension for Group II and III disability. Its duration depends on the person's age at the time of status establishment: from 1 to 15 years. For example, if disability was established before the age of 23, one year of insurance record is sufficient under general rules. For older age categories, the requirements gradually increase.

Employment and social guarantees

Persons with Group III disability have the right to work officially and receive a pension simultaneously. The fact of employment itself is not a ground for terminating payments. However, work may affect the right to certain allowances or minimum state guarantees if the law establishes additional conditions for their receipt.

It is important to note that military-liable persons with Group I, II, and III disability have the right to a deferment from mobilisation. This rule remains in force from 1 September 2026. To maintain the status, it is important that disability data remains current in state registers. A summons itself does not mean automatic mobilisation, and information about the deferment can be verified, in particular, in the Reserve+ application.

Before submitting documents for disability assignment, it is recommended to check the current version of the regulatory list and ensure that the specific state of health meets the criteria for permanent status establishment.