Forms of social assistance in the social protection system and their role in poverty reduction

The article deals with the issues of social protection of population in the period of socio-economic crisis intensified with the tendency towards a decrease in real personal income, which has had a substantial negative impact on Ukraine's socioeconomic development. Thus, the minimum wage as of September, 2015, amounted to 1,378 UAH, which in dollar terms was 59.9 USD, and the minimum pension paid to 7.5 million of Ukrainians was 1,074 UAH (46.7 USD). The authors have conducted an analysis of equality in poverty and proved the inefficiency of the state support of socially vulnerable groups of population. It has been suggested that the established amount of social assistance to particular population groups does not meet the actual needs of most families. It may become possible to solve the problem of impoverishment of the Ukrainian population only due to the reforms in the socio-economic sphere. Creation of conditions for the development of entrepreneurial activities, reduction of taxation, indexation of wages, strengthening of social control, verification of the real standards of living and introduction of new social standards are tools of poverty reduction needed in Ukraine.