To provide assistance to displaced persons who lack sufficient funds for independent housing rental, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine has developed, and the government has approved a resolution to introduce rental housing subsidies
Read more: Situation with MSEC: meeting of the NSDC held regarding abuses of disability status
Financial support for IDPs
Thanks to this subsidy, internally displaced persons (IDPs) who cannot afford rent will have the opportunity to receive financial assistance from the state. Families of IDPs spending more than 30% of their total income on rent will be eligible for the subsidy. If the family’s income is less than 2 living minimums per person (5840 UAH), the subsidy will cover a higher percentage of the rental cost.
Subsidy assignment process
The rental housing subsidy will be assigned by the Pension Fund of Ukraine. Importantly, individuals can receive a rental subsidy simultaneously with a subsidy for housing and communal services. The assignment of the subsidy will begin in mid-January 2025, and IDP families will be able to apply for it starting at that time.
Calculation of the subsidy
The amount of the subsidy will be calculated individually for each IDP family, taking into account income levels, family size, and rental costs, which vary significantly across regions. To determine the subsidy amount, coefficients of housing costs approved by the resolution will be applied.
Protection for tenants
The rental subsidy will be assigned only with a valid rental agreement, providing a certain level of protection for tenants. A standard rental agreement can be obtained and signed at Pension Fund offices or online.
Incentivizing landlords
To encourage landlords to sign official rental agreements with IDP families, the state will compensate landlords for taxes that must be paid on rental income.
Support for Ukrainians
Minister of Social Policy Oksana Zholnovich emphasized the importance of this initiative for supporting Ukrainians who remain in the country but have lost their homes due to the war. The rental subsidy will help them spend less on housing while they recover their income and housing situation.
Pilot phase
Initially, the subsidy will be implemented in nine pilot regions that have received the largest number of IDPs: Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Donetsk regions (excluding areas where hostilities are ongoing or temporarily occupied).
This new initiative aims to enhance the protection of IDPs and ensure their stability in challenging circumstances.
