Since the beginning of the war in 2014, a new category of people in Ukraine can apply for communal benefits: military personnel and their families. Unfortunately, last year, the full-scale invasion of the Russian army expanded this category of citizens. Hence, a new wave of questions about how to get those benefits also emerged. In this article, the Charity Fund "Direct Inclusion" has prepared an explanation: which categories of military personnel can get the discounts, whether it is possible to receive them with money, and how to apply remotely.

Who can apply for communal benefits?

Article 12 of the Law of Ukraine, "On the Status of War Veterans, Guarantees of Their Social Protection," defines the rules for granting benefits and the list of persons included in this category. It states that discounts on communal services, for example, gas, electricity, heating, building territory maintenance, etc., are available to military personnel in the amount of 75%, people with disabilities due to hostilities - 100%, families of the deceased soldiers - 50%. The legislation also regulates the list of people who can be considered family members of the beneficiary, including:

• spouse;

• children under the age of 18;

• children older than 18 years who have disabilities of the 1st and 2nd groups, and who are not married;

• disabled parents or persons who are cared for by the beneficiary and who live with them;

• a cohabitant of a person with a disability of the 1st group due to the war if the latter is not married.

Instructions for applying for benefits

Upon receiving the corresponding certificate of a member of the preferential category, you can get discounts for paying communal services. For this, you need to apply a list of documents to the Pension Fund:

• passport of a citizen of Ukraine;

• a certificate confirming the right to a benefit;

• a taxpayer card.

In addition, it is necessary to complete an application for entering information into the Unified State Automated Register of Persons Entitled to Benefits and an application for granting benefits for the communal services payment.

It is possible to fill out the form directly at the Pension Fund of Ukraine or on the Internet. You can also fill out the application in the Centres for Administrative Services, authorized persons of local executive bodies or military administrations. In this case, they form an electronic case of a beneficiary. The block of documents in electronic form is sent to the Pension Fund within three working days, and inclusion in the Unified Register is accomplished within a month. Applications can be submitted through a family member (power of attorney is required) or by registered mail.

If there have been changes in the beneficiary's family or living conditions, the person must inform the authorized body within 30 days.

The register must contain complete information when a citizen belongs to several preferential categories. However, summing up discounts on housing and communal services is impossible. A person has the right to choose only one benefit for payment.

Discounts on fuel

For citizens and members of their families who live in households without central heating, there is a discount for buying solid or liquid fuel. The following raw materials belong to this category:

• lump peat or in briquettes;

• liquefied natural gas;

• stove fuel for household needs;

• coal or coal briquettes;

• firewood.

One household can receive 1 ton of solid raw materials or an LNG cylinder for 12 months. Local authorities are empowered to increase this rate.

If the beneficiary does not want to receive fuel in its natural form, he can count on monetary compensation. It can be spent on purchasing raw materials for heating in the future. To receive such a discount, a person must be a member of the above-mentioned Unified register. In addition, the following documents are to be submitted to social security services or local self-government bodies:

• application for a benefit for the purchase of solid or liquid fuel;

• passport;

• certificate of beneficiary;

• identification number (a taxpayer card);

• a document from authorized organizations stating that the homeownership is not equipped with centralized heating;

• certificate of persons registered at this address;

• documents proving a family connection with these people.

In what form are benefits issued?

Benefits for communal payments are provided exclusively in cash. This innovation has been in effect since January 2023. Thanks to the monetization reform, citizens can receive funds immediately. By saving on utility bills, you can spend money on other needs.

The Charity Fund "Direct Inclusion" also says that the payment can be made through the "Ukrposhta" services, accounts in authorized banks, in the form of pensions, or to accounts opened by the Pension Fund of Ukraine in "Oschadbank".