Subsidies and benefits for utilities: what is the difference between types of assistance
Kyiv • UNN
Subsidies and benefits are different types of assistance for paying for utilities. Subsidies are provided to households with low incomes, benefits are provided to certain categories of citizens by law.
Subsidies and benefits help pay for utilities, but these are different types of assistance — they are assigned under different conditions. How it works - explained in the Pension Fund writes UNN.
Details
Many people equate the concepts of "housing subsidy" and "benefit for payment of housing and communal services", believing that this is the same form of state aid. However, this is not the case.
Both types of assistance have a common goal — to support citizens in paying for housing and communal services. But the grounds for granting housing subsidies and benefits are different.
Housing subsidy is financial assistance from the state, which is assigned to households with low incomes who cannot independently pay the full cost of utility services.
Benefit is a legally defined advantage granted to certain categories of citizens.
If a person is simultaneously entitled to a housing subsidy and a benefit, only one type of state support is provided.