Unfortunately, every year in Ukraine the statistics of people who have lost their homes or were forced to leave them and move to a safer place due to hostilities only grows. Therefore, it is not surprising that for millions of Ukrainians who have left their homes due to the war, monthly cash assistance from the state has become the main, and sometimes the only, source of income.
However, the new August changes in the system of assigning and paying social support from the Ministry of Social Policy are causing a wave of concern: will the money come to the IDP card this time? We will analyze this article below, and we will also talk about those who really have a chance of losing a stable income due to the suspension of payments for some categories of displaced people.
Read also: Will a housing subsidy be granted if a household member has a land share: clarification from the PFU
Legal Foundation: Resolutions No. 332 and No. 709 – what has changed?
The IDP payment system is based on two key documents. Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 332 of March 20, 2022 , which laid the foundation for providing assistance for housing compensation. It is it that is constantly undergoing the greatest changes, just as the situation on the battlefield changes with the liberation or capture of new territories of Ukraine. Since over time the circle of potential applicants for IDP payments has greatly expanded, it is not surprising that the rules for receiving it have become stricter.
Resolution No. 709 of July 11, 2023 introduced new approaches to supporting IDPs, shifting the focus of the right to receive cash assistance from the state to only the most vulnerable categories of persons and introducing clear payment deadlines. According to the current version of the regulations, assistance is no longer indefinite and depends on many factors – from the family’s financial situation to its place of residence.
Who will be deprived of assistance from August 1?
The Ministry of Social Policy continues its course of verifying recipients in order to direct financial resources only to those who really need them urgently. Several categories of citizens are at risk of suspension of payments from August 1:
- Persons with high property status. If, within the last three months, a recipient of IDP cash assistance has made an expensive purchase (for example, a car under 5 years old, a land plot or real estate worth more than UAH 100,000), he loses the right to IDP payments from August 1, 2026.
- Holders of large deposit accounts. The presence in the bank account of an internally displaced person of an amount exceeding the income limit established by the resolution (over UAH 100,000) is grounds for termination of accruals.
- Those who have been abroad for a long time. Payments are suspended for persons who have been outside Ukraine for more than 30 calendar days in a row without good reason.
- Who have re-registered as an IDP without new compelling circumstances. If a person re-registers as an IDP from territories where there is no active hostilities and which are not currently occupied, assistance may not be granted.
Verification and the role of Oschadbank
The key stage of the check is verification , in simple words checking your property status. The Ministry of Social Policy , together with other state bodies, regularly monitors databases to identify discrepancies in the status of recipients.
The state-owned bank Oschadbank plays an important role in this process . For many categories of displaced persons, especially pensioners, the procedure of physical identification at bank institutions remains mandatory. Failure to pass identification within the established deadlines may lead to the blocking of card accounts and the suspension of social payments.
What to do if payments have stopped?
The Ministry of Social Policy emphasizes that the goal of the reforms is not simply to reduce spending, but to create a system that “both supports people in dire financial straits and strengthens the capacity of communities that care for them.” If you believe that the assistance was canceled in error and you are a low-income person who needs financial assistance from the state as an IDP:
- Contact the social security authority at your place of actual residence.
- Check the relevance of your data on the Social Portal of the Ministry of Social Policy.
- If necessary, use electronic services to update information.
The state also offers alternative support mechanisms, in addition to monthly payments to support the provision of housing. The “e-Housing” program is also available , which allows displaced people to obtain their own housing on a mortgage, which is a step towards new housing to replace damaged or lost ones.
When to expect a new payment
Those who, under the new legislative requirements, are entitled to a monthly cash payment to IDPs should expect the funds to be credited according to the new criteria in two stages by the 15th and 28th of the month . The money will be transferred to your social account for payment to IDPs.
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