As a result of the first stage of the verification of subsidies, the Government has improved the conditions for the assignment of a government assistance to pay for housing and communal services. Corresponding changes were made in the CMU Decree No. 329 by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

Starting October 1, 2018, when calculating a housing subsidy, alimony payments and special budget subsidies for rearing bovine animals, that annually makes up UAH 2500 per head, are not considered as part of integrated profit.

The subsidy can be obtained on general terms by those citizens who have arrears in payment of a single social contribution (SSC) due to the employer's fault.

Those families, whose heated living area, not general area, does not exceed 120 square meters for an apartment and 200 square meters for an individual house are eligible for such assistance from the Government.

If member of a household does not have any income because he/she experiences hardship because of illness, or in a household there are registered ablebodied alcohol or drug addicts (having note from doctor), oncology patients (having a conclusion of the medical commission), the commission on assigning housing subsidies has the right to grant such assistance.

Citizens who receive survivor’s pension, who reach the retirement age or receive seniority pension, who obtain government social assistance having childhood disability as well as the disabled children have the right to have heated living area above the norm, but not exceeding 30%.

The changes also apply to obligatory payments. Starting October 1, 2018, if the cost of the actually consumed service is less than the amount of the binding payment, the beneficiary is entitled to pay only for the cost of the actually consumed service. For example, if the size of the mandatory payment for a certain service is UAH 200 per month, but the household has actually consumed it for only UAH 120, the actual consumption will be paid for, that is UAH 120.

Avoiding compulsory payment of SSC, subsidy may be obtained by:

• Unemployed in rural areas, district centers, urban-type settlements. The Commission on the assigning of housing subsidies is entitled to adopt a positive decision for the applicant;

• Unemployed residing in the city, provided that they are registered at the employment center;

• Citizens who work abroad and pay the SSC there, which is documented. Then, the household where such a person is registered can be assigned a subsidy in Ukraine under the standard procedure.

If the subsidy for the new 2018-2019 is already assigned, then its size for the heating season will be calculated automatically by the social protection department in October without additional visiting by applicants and submitting necessary documents. The size of a subsidy for each particular household can be found in an online resource subsidii.ioc.gov.ua.