Social protection of low-income families in the event of an increase in prices and tariffs for housing and communal services

On July 14 and September 8, 2010, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted resolutions to strengthen social protection of the population in paying for housing and communal services, according to which, starting from August 1, 2010, the government will introduce a new tax on utility bills:

1. The income threshold for families to receive housing subsidies has been reduced – The mandatory percentage of payments for housing and communal services has been reduced by 5%: from 20% to 15% for those able to work, and from 15% to 10% for those unable to work;
2. The procedure for granting subsidies has been simplified for the population – Subsidies are awarded on the basis of only:
   • statements,
   • declarations of income and property status of registered persons.
   Employees also submit income certificates.

   All other information for granting the subsidy (pension, registered persons, housing and utilities, etc.) is collected by the Labor and Social Protection Department.

   The application and declaration shall be submitted in one copy, from all those registered in the dwelling, by an authorized person of the family who is the owner (co-owner) or tenant of the dwelling and for whom a personal account for payment of housing and communal services has been opened.

   Under the simplified procedure, pensioners received a postcard with an application and income declaration form and samples of their completion, which, once completed, must be sent to the labor and social protection department at the place of registration. The postcards include an envelope for this purpose.

3. Automated recalculation of housing subsidies has been carried out – All families receiving subsidies as of August 01, 2010, due to a 5% reduction in the payment percentage, were recalculated without their additional application, including subsidies for solid fuel and liquefied gas;
4. The eligibility of families for subsidies for the 2010/2011 heating season will be reviewed on the basis of applications submitted during August and September 2010. – Only the income of citizens for the six months preceding the beginning of the heating season (from April 1, 2010 to September 30, 2010) will need to be clarified in order to receive a subsidy for the heating season. Income certificates (salary, scholarship, etc.) must be provided by able-bodied citizens and working pensioners.

If new tariffs and prices for housing and communal services, liquefied gas, solid and liquid household heating oil are approved, subsidies will be granted within three months of the increase in payments, and within two months at the beginning of the heating season.

In the event of non-standard situations, based on specific circumstances, the issue of granting a subsidy is decided by commissions operating under district state administrations and city executive committees (in Kirovograd, under the executive committees of Kirov and Leninsky district councils).