UNHCR provides targeted winter cash support together with the Ministry of Social Policy and the Pension Fund of Ukraine

Kyiv, 29 October 2024– UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Policy and the Pension Fund of Ukraine, is supporting the most vulnerable households in Ukraine to get through this winter by providing cash assistance for solid fuel and other heating costs. This cooperation is based on Resolution No. 1169 adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers on 15 October this year and anchored in an Agreement signed between the Ministry of Social Policy, the Pension Fund, and UNHCR on 28 October, and is made possible thanks to the generous support of our donors, including France, Norway, the European Union and the United States of America. 
As the winter season approaches, vulnerable people across Ukraine will face increased hardships due to the ongoing brutal war and rising costs of living. The joint efforts will provide additional financial support to vulnerable households who do not have access to centralized heating or cannot rely on gas, for the purchase of solid household fuel to heat their homes during the coldest months.  
The programme aims to reach 57,000 households across the country with the assistance transferred directly to their bank accounts. The identification of eligible recipients will be done by the Ministry of Social Policy and the Pension Fund, and verified by UNHCR.  
 
“As the winter months approach, it is crucial that we provide additional support to the most vulnerable, especially pensioners, people with disabilities and low-income families particularly affected by the ongoing war and Russian attacks on critical infrastructure. Together with the Ministry of Social Policy and the Pension Fund of Ukraine, we are ensuring that no one is left to face these challenges alone. This cash assistance will be vital in helping families stay warm and get through the coming winter with dignity,” said Karolina Lindholm Billing, UNHCR’s Representative in Ukraine.
 
 
“The Ministry of Social Policy expresses its gratitude to UNHCR for the sustainable cooperation and support that allows us to implement projects with a long-term social impact for Ukrainian citizens. In times of war, it is our duty to ensure that people feel safe and warm in their own homes. Together, we are implementing a programme to help people survive this difficult winter season. It is an additional cash payment for the purchase of firewood or coal, which is extremely important for large low-income families living in apartment blocks where other types of heating are not possible for safety reasons. In addition, support will be provided to people with disabilities, the elderly, including those with limited mobility, who live in settlements near the war zone,” said Oksana Zholnovych, Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine  
Last winter season, UNHCR reached more than one million people across Ukraine with various forms of winter support, including winter cash assistance provided to over 600,000 people.  
 
This coming winter season 2024-2025, UNHCR is aiming to support a total of 625,000 people with various forms of winter support, including 550,000 displaced and other war-affected people in Ukraine with cash assistance for energy and heating needs. The cooperation with the Ministry of Social Policy and the Pension Fund is part of UNHCR’s overall winter response plan, which also includes winter cash assistance for vulnerable households living in frontline communities, identified in cooperation with the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories. UNHCR’s winter interventions are contributing to the 2024-2025 inter-agency Ukraine Winter Response Plan.