During the period of full-scale invasion, when people have problems finding work, many small businesses go bankrupt, and prices for essential goods rise under the influence of macroeconomic, geopolitical factors and inflation, many Ukrainians face the need to apply for a subsidy.
A housing subsidy is a non-repayable targeted state aid provided to low-income households for partial or full payment of housing and communal services, building management, as well as the purchase of solid or liquid stove fuel and liquefied gas. The amount of the subsidy depends on the household's income, the number of people, family composition, the cost of services within social standards and the mandatory payment.
About who is entitled to such assistance from the state, what documents are needed for this, where to submit them and what amount of subsidy one can count on, UNN found out.
Who is entitled to a subsidy
Households whose expenses for housing and communal services within established standards exceed the mandatory payment determined for them are entitled to a subsidy. That is, if the family's official income is insufficient to pay for utilities, it can apply for help.
A subsidy can be assigned to one of the persons registered in the residential premises. It can also be received by actual residents: tenants of housing under a contract, internally displaced persons living at the address without a lease agreement, and individual developers, if the house has not yet been put into operation but utility payments are already being accrued for it.
It should be understood that a subsidy is assigned to a household, not to an individual. The calculation takes into account the income of the applicant, other household members, and in some cases, members of their families, even if they are registered or live at a different address.
Who is not entitled to a subsidy
A subsidy may be denied if the household does not meet property or financial criteria. The state checks income, large expenses, the presence of expensive property, debt, etc.
A subsidy is usually not assigned if the area of the apartment exceeds 130 sq. m, and of a residential house - 230 sq. m. Exceptions are provided for family-type children's homes, foster and large families, as well as individual cases related to the provision of social services.
Grounds for refusal may be the presence of a car that is less than five years old, or several vehicles up to 15 years old.
A subsidy may not be assigned if, during the year before the application, one of the household members made a purchase or paid for services in the amount of over UAH 100,000. This includes, in particular, the purchase of housing, land, a car, securities, currency or bank metals. Exceptions are expenses for treatment, education and energy supply.
Even a debt for utility services can become a problem when receiving a state subsidy. If the overdue debt exceeds three months and the established limit, the subsidy may be denied. But a person can enter into a restructuring agreement, repay the debt or challenge it in court.
Other grounds for refusal include deposits or government bonds (OVDP) in the amount of over UAH 100,000, the purchase of currency or bank metals for a significant amount, ownership of more than one residential premises without the provided exceptions, as well as alimony debt for more than three months.
How to apply for a utility subsidy in Ukraine
The Pension Fund of Ukraine is responsible for assigning subsidies. An application can be submitted in person at a PFU service center, through an authorized community representative or a TsNAP (Administrative Services Center), by mail, through the web portal or mobile application of the Pension Fund, or the "Diia" portal.
If a household has already received a subsidy, in many cases it is recalculated automatically. A new application and declaration must be submitted by:
- tenants;
- internally displaced persons;
- households where fewer people actually live
than are registered;
- those applying for a subsidy for stove fuel or
liquefied gas.
The subsidy is calculated separately for the heating and non-heating seasons. Note that in this case, the heating season lasts from October 1 to April 30, the non-heating season - from May 1 to September 30. You can apply in any month, however, the date of submission of documents affects the period from which the assistance will be assigned.
After submitting the documents, the PFU checks the information through state registers, tax data, data on income, property and utility debt. If information is missing or contradictory, the applicant may be asked to provide additional confirmation.
What documents are needed to apply for a subsidy
The basic package of documents consists of an application for the assignment of a housing subsidy and a declaration of income and expenses of persons applying for assistance. The declaration specifies the composition of the household, family members, types of income, property and other information for verifying the right to a subsidy.
In some cases, additional documents are required. The tenant submits a housing lease agreement. IDPs can submit documents confirming actual residence at the address. If there is a debt for utility services, a restructuring agreement or a document challenging the debt may be required.
If the registers do not contain information about certain incomes, income certificates are submitted. Documents may also be required regarding the non-residence of registered persons, study, treatment, stay abroad, military service, payment of alimony or other circumstances affecting the calculation.
In standard cases, a person does not need to independently collect certificates from all institutions. The Pension Fund obtains a significant part of the information independently. But if the data is missing or does not match, the applicant will have to clarify it.
What income is taken into account for assigning a subsidy
For calculating the subsidy, the average monthly total income of the household is taken into account. It includes:
- salary after payment of personal income tax and
military levy;
- pensions;
- scholarships;
- social benefits;
- unemployment benefits;
- money transfers from abroad;
- dividends;
- income from rent;
- income from entrepreneurial activity;
- other official receipts.
For individual entrepreneurs on the simplified system, a special approach applies. A conditional amount is credited to income depending on the group: for the first group - one minimum wage, for the second - two, for the third and fourth - three minimum wages for each month. The actual income from entrepreneurial activity is not additionally taken into account.
For assigning a subsidy for the non-heating season, income for the III and IV quarters of the previous year is usually taken, and for the heating season - for the I and II quarters of the current year. Pensions are taken into account in the amount accrued for the month preceding the month of the start of the season, if the subsidy is assigned from its beginning.
If the household includes people without income or with income lower than the minimum wage, this does not always mean refusal. But such cases are checked separately, and conditional income may be applied for the calculation.
What income is not taken into account for assigning a subsidy
A number of social or compensatory payments are not included in the total income. In particular, part of one-time benefits is not taken into account: for the birth or adoption of a child, the "baby package", funeral assistance, one-time reward to women awarded the title "Mother-Heroine".
Also falling under this category are housing subsidies and benefits for paying utility bills, alimony paid by a person, charitable assistance in cases specified by law, assistance from public and charitable organizations, as well as certain payments to internally displaced persons.
Also not taken into account are certain state compensations and targeted payments: funds for the purchase of housing, compensation for destroyed or damaged property, certain types of international aid, one-time payments for holidays or emergencies, interest on deposits and other payments determined by government procedure.
How is the utility subsidy paid
The housing subsidy is paid in cash. The person receives the funds and pays for utility services independently. Thus, the cash subsidy from the state for utility services does not cancel the obligation to pay bills: if the recipient does not pay, the debt accumulates.
The payment can be made through an authorized bank or through "Ukrposhta". The method of receipt depends on the recipient's choice and their pension status. For pensioners, the subsidy is often paid together with the pension in the same way they receive pension payments.
For bank payment, an account in IBAN format in one of the authorized banks is required. The payment method can be changed by submitting a corresponding application to the Pension Fund.
The subsidy recipient must inform the PFU about changes that may affect the right to assistance: changes in family composition, place of residence, large purchases, the appearance of new property, changes in the list of services or other circumstances. If this is not done, the subsidy may be recalculated, and overpaid funds may be demanded back.
Can a person who is not working receive a subsidy
An unemployed person can receive a subsidy, but not automatically. The key nuance in this case is the reason why the person is not working, the presence of official income, payment of the Unified Social Contribution (USC) and belonging to categories for which exceptions are provided.
If an able-bodied person does not work, does not study, is not registered at the employment center, does not pay the USC and has no confirmed reasons for lack of income, this may be grounds for refusal.
At the same time, a subsidy can be assigned if a person is registered as unemployed, cares for a child or a person with a disability, is in difficult life circumstances, is ill, is studying, is serving, is in captivity or has other confirmed reasons for lack of income.
In some cases, a conditional indicator is used to calculate the income of an unemployed person - half the minimum wage, one subsistence minimum or the minimum wage depending on the specific situation.
Can a person who is not registered and does not live in the house (apartment) apply for a subsidy
In Ukraine, situations are common where several people are registered in an apartment, but fewer actually live there. For example, adult children have moved to another city or abroad, one of the family members is serving, working in another region, studying or has not lived at the registered address for a long time.
In this case, a subsidy can be applied for taking into account the actual number of residents. To do this, in the application and declaration, you need to indicate who actually lives in the housing and who is only registered. It is advisable to attach confirmation of non-residence to the application: a certificate from the place of work or study, a lease agreement for housing elsewhere, an IDP certificate, confirmation of stay abroad, military service or treatment.
The Pension Fund may decide to assign a subsidy taking into account the actual residents. In some cases, the information is verified through an act of inspection of the material and living conditions of the household.
It is not worth hiding the actual composition of residents. Incorrect data may lead to refusal, cancellation of the subsidy or a demand to return overpaid funds.
Reminder
Earlier we wrote about why the IMF demands the removal of subsidies and who will be hit hardest by this.