Government allocated over UAH 34.5 million to compensate for utility costs to communities who provided free accommodation for IDPs

More than UAH 34.1 million has been allocated from the reserve fund of the State Budget to reimburse July utility costs to communities that have provided free shelter to internally displaced persons in municipal and public institutions as well as in private educational facilities. The corresponding order was approved by the Government at the meeting on November 4.

“From the very beginning of the armed aggression of the russian federation, Ukrainian communities have not remained indifferent and provided free shelter to internally displaced persons in their municipal institutions. Particularly, in July about 6.2 thousand municipal and state-owned institutions were involved and provided housing to more than 97.6 thousand citizens. In general, over the eight months of war, about 1.6 million internally displaced citizens have been accommodated in communities throughout Ukraine,” said Vasyl Lozynskyy, acting Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.

It should be noted that since the onset of the war, communities have organised more than 163 thousand accommodations for IDPs in buildings of state, municipal and private property.

A draft order was developed on the basis of information consolidated by the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine that had been obtained from the regional military administrations and relevant ministries. The compensation is aimed at covering the costs of water, electricity, gas, garbage collection, as well as the purchase of firewood, pellets and coal.

Earlier, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine amended the Procedure and conditions for providing compensation for consumed utilities in relation to accommodation of internally displaced persons in buildings (premises) of state, municipal and private property during martial law. From now on, starting September 1, compensation for utilities can also be claimed by legal entities and individual entrepreneurs who have provided free temporary accommodation to IDPs.