Almost UAH 5 billion allocated for social support in Odesa

Odesa has updated its social support program for vulnerable groups for 2024-2028 with a budget of UAH 4.71 billion. The funds are earmarked for social services, assistance to children, pensioners, people with disabilities and the unemployed.

The decision was made at a meeting of the Executive Committee of Odesa City Council.

The Executive Committee submitted proposals to the Odesa City Military Administration to amend the City Target Program for the Provision of Social Services and Assistance to Vulnerable Populations for 2024-2028. The program was approved by the city council in November 2023, and now, after the establishment of the military administration, there is a need to clarify the timing, performance indicators and funding.

The total amount of funding for the program is UAH 4.71 billion, of which the vast majority - UAH 4.709 billion - is allocated from the budget of the Odesa city territorial community, and another UAH 1.57 million is allocated from the Unemployment Insurance Fund.

The distribution of funds provides for:

• Executive Committee of Odesa City Council - UAH 245 thousand for the general management of the program;
• The Department of Labor and Social Policy - UAH 4.3 billion to provide social services and assistance to vulnerable categories;
• Department of Municipal Economy - UAH 27.75 million for related support and infrastructure measures;
• Department of Administrative Services - UAH 830 thousand;
• District administrations (Kyiv, Peresyp, Primorsk, Khadzhibey) - more than UAH 300 million for local support programs;
• Service for Children - UAH 55.3 million;
• Legal Department - UAH 30.3 million;
• Other sources (Unemployment Insurance Fund) - UAH 1.57 million.

The program provides for planning annual expenditures: from UAH 668.9 million in 2024 to more than UAH 1 billion in 2028.

The main changes include an update of the program passport, a new version of the resource support annexes and a list of activities. They are aimed at providing social services and supporting vulnerable groups, including children, people with disabilities, pensioners and the unemployed.

In October, Mykolaiv also amended the SocialProtection program for 2024-2026, with a total budget of UAH 1.5 billion. Kherson also updated its social protection program for 2025 to support the elderly, people with disabilities, orphans, homeless people and citizens affected by the war, with more than UAH 45 million allocated from the budget.

Анна Бальчінос