The Verkhovna Rada has passed in the first reading a bill that provides for the introduction of a new type of state social assistance - basic social assistance instead of several payments. This was reported by UNN with reference to the card of draft law No. 11094.
Details
"Adopted as a basis," the bill's card reads.
The specified document was supported by 235 deputies, 3 voted against, and 11 abstained.
What is basic social assistance
The document defines that "basic social assistance" is a monthly payment provided to a low-income family in monetary form in an amount that depends on the average monthly total income of the family and the property status of family members.
The concept of "base value" is also introduced - a value used to calculate the amount of basic social assistance and determined by the law "On the State Budget" for the corresponding year. The size of the base value cannot be lower than the subsistence minimum established for able-bodied persons as of January 1 of the calendar year.
Who will be able to receive basic social assistance
Low-income families permanently residing in Ukraine have the right to state social assistance, including those that include foreigners and stateless persons who legally reside permanently in Ukraine, persons recognized as refugees in Ukraine, or persons in need of additional protection
Also, basic social assistance can be received by families or individuals who receive one of the following payments:
- state social assistance to low-income families;
- assistance for children of single mothers;
- assistance for children raised in large families;
- temporary state assistance to children whose parents evade paying alimony, are unable to support the child, or whose place of residence is unknown;
- they have the right to basic social assistance in case of refusal to receive the aforementioned payments.
It is noted that the criteria for classifying families as low-income and assessing their financial and property status will be determined by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Such assistance will be paid by an authority determined by the Cabinet of Ministers, and the government will also determine the procedure for appointment, criteria and conditions of payment, grounds for suspension and termination of payment of basic social assistance, and the list of documents required for the appointment of basic social assistance.
The bill also establishes a requirement to promote the economic independence of low-income families. In particular, an able-bodied person aged 18 to 60 who has been granted basic social assistance is obliged to cooperate with the state employment service for the purpose of integration into the labor market.
To promote the economic independence of a low-income family, a non-working able-bodied person from among the members of such a family is provided by the state employment service with measures to promote employment, vocational training, retraining, economic independence, and financial support in the manner and amounts determined by the Cabinet of Ministers
How to apply for basic social assistance
A family representative will be able to submit an application for the appointment of basic social assistance:
- in electronic form using information and communication systems;
- personally – to the body that appoints and carries out the payment of basic social assistance.
The transition to such assistance will be carried out exclusively upon the application of the recipient. Basic social assistance is not granted if its calculated amount is less than the amount of state support that the family or person received on the day of application.
Terms for granting basic social assistance
The terms for granting basic social assistance will be established as follows:
- six months – for families in difficult life circumstances;
- three months – for families in a crisis situation.
For large families, basic social assistance will be granted for a period of one year until the status of a large family is maintained (until three children in the family reach the age of 18) with automatic extension of the payment for each subsequent year in the manner determined by the Cabinet of Ministers, without the application of such persons.
The transitional provisions state that if the bill is adopted in the second reading, it should enter into force on January 1, 2027.
Until it enters into force, it is planned to establish that the basic social assistance granted to families who at the time of its appointment were recipients of state social assistance to low-income families; assistance for children of single mothers; assistance for children raised in large families; temporary state assistance to children whose parents evade paying alimony, are unable to support the child, or whose place of residence is unknown; state social assistance to persons who do not have the right to a pension, and persons with disabilities, shall be paid in the manner and on the conditions that were in effect on the day of their appointment.
Recall
A new service has been launched in "Diia" for applying for basic social assistance, which will replace five different payments. This pilot project is designed for two years, and the government is working on establishing it on a permanent basis.