Together with Ministry of Social Policy and the Pension Fund of Ukraine, UNHCR ensures extra cash support to vulnerable pensioners during the cold winter months

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has so far provided close to 23 million USD in direct cash support to Ukrainian pensioners in order for them to buy solid household fuel to keep homes warm during the winter season.

According to UN estimates, older people represent almost a quarter of the people in need of humanitarian assistance in Ukraine. ©UNHCR

Kyiv, 11 March, 2024: During the winter season 2023-, UNHCR has so far provided direct cash support to more than 127,000 vulnerable pensioners to help them purchase household fuel during the harsh winter months. This assistance is delivered in support of the Ministry of Social Policy and the Pension Fund of Ukraine under the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1173 from 7 November 2023.

The cash support of 6,660 UAH per person has been provided via bank transfers, directly to the bank accounts of the recipients.

This additional winter assistance was agreed between the Ministry of Social Policy, the Pension Fund of Ukraine and UNHCR in November 2023 as a way to maximize our joint efforts to provide much needed support to vulnerable pensioners during the cold winter months – a clear priority for the Government of Ukraine.

UNHCR will continue this support until the end of the heating season and provide cash assistance totaling more than 25 million USD.

The pensioners, who have so far received this additional winter cash, are residing across Ukraine, with the majority living in Odesa, Vinnytsia and Kirovohrad regions.

“Following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, UNHCR in Ukraine signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Social Policy to ensure close cooperation with the Ministry towards our common goal of supporting and assisting the most