Due to constant shelling and bombardment of the frontline areas of Sumy and Kharkiv regions, local authorities are evacuating residents of these regions to save their lives. Thousands of Ukrainians are forced to flee their homes and jobs and move to safer regions.

Families from vulnerable categories, i.e. those with children or people with disabilities, large families, and low-income families, face the greatest moral and financial difficulties.

To provide them with support in such a difficult period, the Government and the Ministry of Social Policy are working to find additional sources of funding, including from international partners.

On 17 May, the Government adopted a decision that will allow the implementation of a joint project of the Ministry of Social Policy and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) aimed at providing emergency additional support to such families.

Thanks to this decision, families from vulnerable categories who must evacuate from the frontline communities of Kharkiv and Sumy regions will receive a payment of UAH 10,800 per person in the family after evacuation. This means that, for example, a large low-income family of 5 people who will be evacuated from Sumy or Kharkiv regions will receive UAH 54,000 in additional financial assistance.

"Coordination of actions of the state and international partners to provide assistance to Ukrainian citizens makes it possible to support thousands of Ukrainians who need it so much. I am sincerely grateful to our partners at UNICEF for standing by the citizens of Ukraine in the face of critical challenges for the country," said Oksana Zholnovych, Minister of Social Policy.

Payments will be made to the following categories of families with children who are subject to mandatory evacuation from 1 May 2024 and who lived in Sumy and Kharkiv regions before the evacuation and belonged to one or more of the following categories (received appropriate payments from the Ministry of Social Policy)

- the family includes a person or child with a disability under the age of 18

- the family is large with children under the age of 18

- children are raised by a single mother/lone father

- the family with children under the age of 18 is low-income.

"As the war continues, thousands of families need immediate assistance to be able to provide their children with everything they need. This is critical for vulnerable families with children who are being evacuated from the frontline communities in Kharkiv and Sumy regions. It is crucial that these families have all the tools they need to overcome the difficult challenges they face. At UNICEF, we continue to work with the Government of Ukraine to provide this vital support," said Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine.

Additional financial assistance will be provided on a one-time basis. The duration of payments will depend on the programme budget.

If your family is evacuated by means organised by your RMA, you do not need to apply for this assistance, the payment will be made automatically.

If you move to a safer place on your own as part of the mandatory evacuation, please apply for the payment of the relevant assistance to the nearest social protection department in the community to which you have moved.

The one-time financial assistance will be credited to the account of one of the family members receiving the assistance. You can also receive the funds through Ukrposhta.