Wage arrears hit record high: over 36,600 cases and risks for workers and the economy
The register records the worst year in five years: about 9,100 new cases in 2025. We explain who is affected and what it means for local budgets and occupational safety.
By Tetiana Suchkova-Ladik
January 19, 2026 · 2 min read
Briefly
At the start of 2026 the Unified Register of Debtors recorded 36,629 active proceedings concerning unpaid wages — the highest figure in the last five years. In 2025 about 9.1 thousand new cases were opened (the register shows 9,174), and more than half of those proceedings remain unresolved.
What was recorded
Monitoring data published by Opendatabot show that the problem is not isolated and has a stable geographic and sectoral profile.
The most proceedings are in the chemical industry — more than 2,600 cases (≈29% of the total). Close behind are companies supplying electricity and gas. By ownership type, 62% of the debts fall on the private sector, about 25% on municipal enterprises and 13% on state entities.
Geographically the situation is worst in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast — more than a third of all proceedings (≈3,200). Regions with high numbers also include Ivano‑Frankivsk (≈1,100), Sumy (897) and Lviv (770) oblasts. At the same time, in some regions the number of proceedings is minimal — examples include Luhansk Oblast (1 case) and Chernivtsi Oblast (4 cases).
"The Unified Register of Debtors has recorded more than 36,600 active proceedings regarding unpaid wages."
— Opendatabot (registry monitoring, data as of early 2026)
Why it matters
This is not just a statistic: wages are a lifeline for families. Growth in arrears raises the risk of social tension, reduces purchasing power and undermines tax revenues to local budgets. For critical sectors — chemicals and energy — delayed payments can also complicate logistics, maintenance and production safety.
Context and trends
Last year was the worst in five years: proceedings opened in 2025 exceeded the previous anti‑record. Some cases have been dragging on since 2017; among them are proceedings concerning the state enterprise «Поліськгеодезкартографія», which is currently in the process of winding down.
Recall: as of August 6, 2024 the register had recorded more than 34,000 proceedings, while 1,872 companies had not paid wages. The dynamics show that the issue is systemic and not limited to isolated crisis periods.
What could change the situation
Economists and union representatives point to several practical steps: strengthening labor inspections, speeding up court procedures for debt recovery, supporting workers left without income, and working with company owners to restore solvency. This is a package of measures that requires coordination between central authorities, local administrations and business.
Conclusion
The rise in wage arrears is a signal not only about problems at individual employers but also about an increased risk to the stability of incomes of Ukrainian families and local economies. Whether the state and the market can turn these signals into concrete tools to protect workers and restore companies’ solvency is the key question for the coming months.
