Ukraine — Income, Social Protection and Coping Strategies in Ukraine — November 2024

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the country has confronted profound economic disruptions alongside widespread displacement. To date, 3.7 million people remain internally displaced (IDPs), while 4.4 million people who had been displaced have since returned to their primary places of residence. According to the World Bank, more than 9 million people in Ukraine are estimated to be living in poverty, an increase of 1.8 million people since February 2022. The pace of recovery in Ukraine is also projected to slow to 3.2 per cent in 2024 from 4.8 per cent in 2023, due to a smaller harvest and a persistent labour shortage. With millions seeking safety and stability, often while remaining in displacement, the challenges of maintaining livelihoods and accessing social protection are paramount, necessitating focused interventions to mitigate economic hardships.

This report provides a snapshot of livelihoods in Ukraine, focusing on income, social assistance and coping strategies, as well as exploring the relationship between income levels and displacement. Additionally, to better support evidence-based programming, the brief analyses the relationship between income and estimated eligibility for Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA). The analysis foregrounds the age and gender dimensions, highlighting that priorities, capacities and needs are unique to different individuals and notably vary based on the intersection of vulnerabilities, exclusion and discrimination.