National Social Service checks actual place of stay of IDPs, in case of failure to pass identification within 30 days, state benefits will be canceled

The National Social Service conducts verification of the actual place of residence/stay of internally displaced persons (IDPs), in case of failure to pass identification by the IDP within 30 days, their state benefits will be canceled. Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets announced this in Telegram, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"From July 2023, the territorial bodies of the National Social Service will carry out verification of the actual place of residence/stay of IDPs. Officials of social protection bodies and/or territorial communities may also be involved in them," he said.

The grounds for the inspection are:

the person registered as an IDP within the same territorial community;

in case of receiving a notification about a change in the actual place of residence/residence of the beneficiary;

receiving the recommendations of the Ministry of Finance based on the results of the verification.

Lubinets notes that the person to be inspected must be notified of the inspection at least 2 two calendar days before it is carried out (by phone or other available means of communication that ensures the recording of such a notification).

If the person reports that he is not on the spot (for valid reasons), the inspection will be postponed for two weeks. If the IDP is not present during the inspection, the officials will draw up the relevant document and leave a message to this person.

"In addition, failure to pass identification by the IDP within 30 days and/or establishment of non-compliance with the criteria is a reason for cancellation of payments," he emphasized.

It is about accommodation payments, which amount to UAH 2,000 for adults and UAH 3,000 for people with disabilities and children.

According to the Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, almost 5 million IDPs are currently registered in Ukraine, of which 2.6 million people receive benefits. Last year, UAH 57 billion were allocated to payments in this category. The projected amount in 2023 is UAH 72 billion.

Vice Prime Minister - Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk noted that this is the largest expenditure item from the state budget after financing the security and defense sector.

She emphasized that the resolution adopted by the government in July provides for payments to those who are most in need of this type of state support. Citizens who left and permanently live abroad or returned to their homes will not receive such payments, except for those who left temporarily for good reasons: on a business trip, for training, treatment, accompanying a sick person.

Vereshchuk also reported that the Ministry of Social Policy and the Ministry of Finance will verify recipients, and those IDPs who really need state support will receive assistance.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, in July, the Cabinet of Ministers canceled housing payments for internally displaced persons (IDPs) who were abroad for more than 30 days, and those whose property status does not require state assistance.