This month, only 15 heating days will be included in the subsidy calculation
In Ukraine, the heating season is starting, which means that bills for housing and communal services will rise again. However, with the help of the government, Ukrainians can reduce their utility expenses by applying for a subsidy.
Who is eligible for a subsidy and what needs to be done – "Kashtan NEWS" explains.
How to find out if you are eligible for a subsidy
A subsidy is provided not to an individual but to a household. If your family pays more for utilities than the established mandatory payment, you are entitled to receive government assistance. The amount of the subsidy will be the difference between the total cost of all utilities considering the social norm and the size of the mandatory payment.
1 The mandatory payment is calculated as follows:
- Calculate the average monthly total income of your household. This income includes the salaries of family members after personal income tax, military allowances, pensions, scholarships (excluding social scholarships provided to orphans), social benefits (including utility payment benefits, solid fuel and liquefied gas purchases), unemployment benefits, insurance payouts, dividends from securities, remittances received from abroad, and other declared income.
Attention: if on the day of applying for the subsidy, any family member has been abroad for more than 60 days, their income should not be counted!
- Divide the average monthly total income by the number of family members. This will help you determine the income per person.
- Divide the income per person by the minimum subsistence level (which is 2920 UAH from January 1, 2024).
- Divide the result by 2 (the basic income coefficient for subsidy allocation), then multiply by 15 percent (the basic norm for service payment). The number you obtain will be the mandatory payment percentage.
- Now determine your mandatory payment: multiply the mandatory payment percentage by the average monthly total income of your household. If the resulting amount is less than what you pay for utilities, your household is eligible for a subsidy.
2 Who can apply for it
The subsidy is granted to one of the household members registered in the residential premises. You can also apply for a subsidy:
- if you rent a dwelling based on a rental agreement;
- if you are an internally displaced person without registration or a rental agreement but actually reside in the housing (in such cases, documents confirming residence at the household address must be attached to the subsidy application – for example, a certificate from the IDP);
- if you are a guardian or caregiver of a minor child who has lost parental care or an incapacitated person of working age under guardianship;
- if you are an individual builder and your house has not yet been put into operation, but charges for housing and communal services are already being accrued (in this case, attach documents confirming residence at the actual address of the household to the application).
3 In what cases might a subsidy not be granted
A subsidy will not be granted if the total area of the apartment exceeds the established norm: 130 sq. m for apartments in multi-apartment buildings and 230 sq. m for individual houses.
Additionally, a subsidy will not be granted if any member of the household or family:
- within 12 months prior to the appointment of the housing subsidy has performed a transaction worth more than 50,000 UAH (purchase of real estate, vehicles, securities, virtual assets, foreign currency, banking metals, building materials, other long-term goods, one-time payment for any works or services, except for medical, educational, and housing and communal services according to the social housing norm, charitable activities, contributions to the charter capital of a company or organization, lending to someone or providing non-repayable financial assistance);
- on the first day of the month from which the housing subsidy is appointed, has more than 100,000 UAH in a bank deposit account or government bonds totaling more than 100,000 UAH;
- owns a vehicle subject to state registration that is less than five years old (excluding mopeds and trailers), or more than one vehicle subject to state registration that is less than 15 years old (excluding mopeds and trailers);
- had no income considered for the housing subsidy; received an average monthly total income below the minimum wage; did not pay the unified contribution to mandatory state social insurance for a total of three months in the period for which income is considered for the housing subsidy;
- has arrears in enforcement proceedings for alimony for more than three months (except for individuals who are considered missing by a court decision or have the legal status of missing persons, individuals who are alcohol or drug-dependent with a doctor's certificate, individuals who have been suspended from work, or individuals under preventive measures such as house arrest or detention).
Additionally, households where at least one member owns more than one dwelling – an apartment or house – are not eligible for a subsidy. However, the following will not be counted:
- housing unfit for living (confirmed by an inspection act of the technical condition of the house or apartment);
- housing received by an orphaned child, a child deprived of parental care, or an individual from this group at the expense of the state or local budget;
- housing that is co-owned or partially owned;
- housing for which inheritance has been registered (if it is not rented out, confirmed by the inspection act of the household's material and living conditions);
- housing located in rural areas, urban-type settlements in temporarily occupied territories, in localities where state authorities temporarily do not exercise their powers, and in localities along the line of contact.
4 Where to submit the application and what documents to attach
Currently, a simplified mechanism for applying for housing subsidies is in place in Ukraine, so there is no need to collect certificates and fill out a declaration. You can submit a simplified application, and the Pension Fund of Ukraine will process the application and declaration using information from official registers.
You can submit a simplified application in the following ways:
- by mail or in person at one of the Pension Fund service centers (list);
- through the electronic services portal or the Pension Fund mobile app;
- via the Diia portal;
- through the administrative services center (ASC);
- through authorized persons of the executive body of the village, settlement, or city council.
To fill out the application, you need a qualified electronic signature. You can obtain one through "Diia," "Oschadbank," "Privatbank," or any other accredited certification center.
The application must include:
- information about family members living in the premises;
- the address of residence where the subsidy is to be calculated;
- the type of subsidy (housing and communal services or solid fuel);
- the account details in IBAN format where the subsidy will be credited;
- the method of communication (phone, e-mail, electronic messages through the Pension Fund web portal, etc.).
If you have any special circumstances that may affect the subsidy allocation, the Government Portal recommends submitting a full application rather than a simplified one, including a complete set of documents: application, declaration, and supporting documents regarding specific life circumstances that the Pension Fund may consider when making a decision.
5 For what period is the subsidy granted
The heating subsidy is granted from October 1 or from the moment the application is submitted if you submit it later, and it will be valid until the end of the heating season.
The subsidy for October, which you will receive in November, will be less than in the following months. This is because only 15 heating days will be counted in October, regardless of the actual start of heating supply.
Konstantin MYKHAILENKO