Monthly Financial Assistance for Internally Displaced Persons in Ukraine
Changes Concerning Monthly Targeted Assistance for Internally Displaced Persons in Ukraine
Since 7 October 2014, persons with internally displaced person (IDP) status in Ukraine have been entitled, subject to the applicable legislation, to monthly targeted financial assistance intended to cover living expenses, including housing and utility costs.
At the time the relevant rules were introduced, such assistance was provided to persons with IDP status who had relocated from the temporarily occupied territories, including certain territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
Under the rules applicable at that time, assistance was generally granted for a period of up to six months. The amount depended on the category of the recipient, such as a pensioner, student, person with a disability or an able-bodied person. The assistance was administered by the relevant social protection authority at the person's actual place of residence.
On 9 November 2021, amendments to the procedure for obtaining such assistance entered into force and simplified certain aspects of the application process. Below we consider the principal changes that were introduced at that time.
First, previously, when submitting a subsequent application for targeted assistance, an applicant was required to provide the same documents that had been submitted with the initial application, including certificates confirming the registration of all family members as IDPs.
Following the amendments, this requirement was removed. Provided that there had been no changes in the relevant circumstances, a person wishing to receive assistance for the next six-month period was required to submit only the appropriate application. The authority could use information contained in documents previously submitted by the applicant.
As regards other family members and confirmation of their registration as internally displaced persons, the relevant information could be verified using the information systems of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine.
Second, it became possible to submit an application for assistance for the next six-month period or an application to terminate such assistance electronically through the Diia portal. The application could be generated automatically after the applicant completed the required authentication using an electronic signature.
However, certain restrictions applied. In particular, if information concerning the applicant or members of the applicant's family was absent from the Unified Information Database on Internally Displaced Persons, electronic submission of the relevant application could be blocked.
When an application was submitted electronically, there was generally no need to provide additional documents if the necessary information could be obtained directly from the information systems of the Ministry of Social Policy at the request of the Diia portal.
The application was considered within the applicable statutory time limits, while information concerning the outcome could also be obtained electronically through the Diia portal.
These changes significantly simplified the procedure for submitting applications and obtaining targeted assistance for internally displaced persons.
Please note: the rules described above concern amendments that entered into force in November 2021. Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the system of financial assistance for internally displaced persons was substantially changed. Therefore, persons applying for IDP assistance today should verify the current eligibility requirements, payment amounts and application procedure.
