Low-Income Ukrainians: How to Access ₴1,816.8 Monthly Assistance

Low-income Ukrainians can receive social assistance from the state to support them in difficult life situations. Specialists of the Free Legal Aid Center told about the procedure and peculiarities of receiving such assistance.

The assistance can be granted for 6 months with the possibility of extension if the family meets certain requirements. Payments are extended for the period of martial law and for another month after its termination. The necessary documents must be submitted within one month after the termination or lifting of martial law. The conditions for granting the allowance are set out in the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 250 dated February 24, 2003 (as amended).

Low-income family

A low-incomefamily is a family that, for reasons that are valid or beyond its control, has an average monthly total income below the subsistence level for the family. A family's eligibility for this assistance depends not only on its income, but also on its property status, employment of able-bodied family members, and other factors.

A low-income family includes:

• husband, wife
• native and adopted children under the age of 18, as well as children who are enrolled in full-time or dual form of education in general secondary, vocational (vocational-technical), professional pre-higher, higher education institutions (including during the period between completion of education in one of the above-mentioned educational institutions and admission to another institution or during the period between completion of education at one educational qualification level and continuation of education at another, provided that such period does not exceed four months) until they reach the age of 23 and do not have their own families - independent
• unmarried adult children recognized as persons with disabilities from childhood of groups I and II or persons with disabilities of group I who live with their parents;
• disabled parents of a husband and wife who live with them and are dependent on them due to lack of their own income;
• a person living with and caring for a single person with a disability of group I;
• a woman and a man who are not married but live in the same family and have children together.
• Persons on full state support are not included in the family.

A single person has the rights of a family member.

The composition of the applicant's low-income family is determined on the date of application for state social assistance.

What documents are required to apply for low-income family assistance and where to submit them

To receive assistance, low-income families must apply at the place of registered or actual residence to the social protection authority, the executive body of the village, town or city council of the relevant territorial community, or the administrative service center.

To apply, you need to prepare the following documents

• an application in the prescribed form;
• a declaration of income and property status;
• the applicant's passport;
• income certificate or explanation of their origin (for income
• information about which is not available and cannot be obtained upon request);
• certificate of IDP registration (for IDPs);
• a certificate of direct participation in the ATO, in the implementation of measures to ensure national security and defense, repulsion and deterrence of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions (if available);
• certificate of a combatant (if any).

How state aid is paid during the war

Appointment and receipt of assistance to low-income families is an accessible process, as the applicant has the opportunity to choose a convenient way to receive funds - transfer to a bank account or delivery by Ukrposhta. If the bank that paid the allowance ceases to operate under martial law, the allowance will be transferred to JSC Oschadbank, and the recipient will be notified by the social protection authorities. To receive the funds, you must contact an Oshchadbank branch with your passport and identification code (RNOKPP), but it is not necessary to open an account with this bank. If a person has changed his or her place of residence after receiving wartime assistance through Ukrposhta, he or she can receive the funds by

• by money transfer through Oshchadbank without opening a bank account (after agreement with the social protection authority);
• at the Ukrposhta branch at the new place of residence (after agreement with Ukrposhta at 0 800 300 545).

The amount of assistance for a low-income family

In 2025, social payments in Ukraine for families recognized as low-income will amount to 60% of the subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons and 145% of the same indicator for children.

The subsistence minimum in 2025 is UAH 3,028, and the amount of payments depends on the category to which the individual belongs:

• those who can work - UAH 1,816.8
• children under 18 - UAH 4,634.2;
• children aged 18 to 23 who are studying - UAH 4,390.6;
• those who have lost the ability to work - UAH 2,361.

The last point also applies to people with disabilities. The Law states that social assistance to disabled persons of group 3 in Ukraine will be 100% of UAH 2,361, the amount defined as the subsistence level for those who are unable to work.

Ігор Льов