For internally displaced people
Who is an Internally Displaced Person – IDP?
If you are a citizen of Ukraine or have the right to permanent residence in Ukraine and you were forced to leave or abandon your place of residence as a result of or in order to avoid the negative consequences of an armed conflict, temporary occupation, violence, human rights violations and natural or man-made disasters, you are an Internally Displaced Person (IDP).
If you are an IDP, it is highly recommended that you obtain an IDP certificate from the local social services (TSNAPS, offices of social protection of the population, in the executive offices of village, settlement or city councils), or through the Diia application.
The certificate is needed to receive assistance from the government and some international organizations/NGOs. Full eligibility criteria and the procedure for IDP certificates is described here.
IDP registration is important:
- to consider the needs of IDPs in local and regional budgets, and the formation of local policies in various areas
- for the authorities to respond to the needs of IDPs according to the category (families with children, families/people who find themselves in difficult life circumstances, people with disabilities, etc.)
- data on the number of IDPs is used for the distribution and provision of international humanitarian aid.
IDPs may be eligible for assistance from the government and international organizations. Please note that assistance from international organizations is usually provided based on vulnerability criteria and is limited in time.
Cash assistance programme for IDPs from the government
People who were forcefully displaced in Ukraine are eligible for social assistance after they register as IDP. The amount of assistance is 2000 UAH for adults, 3000 UAH for people with disabilities and children.
You can register as an IDP online:
- Download or update Diia app
- If you have an ID card or biometric passport, open Services in Diia and submit an application for an IDP certificate
- Specify your current address and confirm your location through the app
You can register as an IDP offline:
- Visit your local TSNAP or local social protection office
- Bring documents that confirm your identity and Ukrainian citizenship
- Make sure that your document includes your place of registration or bring other documents that confirm your former place of residence (military card, property ownership certificate etc)
After you register as an IDP, you can also apply for cash assistance from the government (online and offline accordingly). If you apply online through Diia app, you need to choose your bank card ЄПідтримка for cash assistance in the app (or apply for this card through your bank). For more information on eligibility for IDP subsistence allowance, visit the Ministry of Social Policy website.
Cash assistance programme from UNHCR
UNCHR supports vulnerable people that were displaced by the war in Ukraine with multi-purpose cash assistance. You can enroll for cash assistance in Multi-Service Protection Centres where UNCHR offers this and other services. Additionally, mobile groups regularly visit remote areas to enroll people who cannot reach the Multi-Service Protection Centres.
The assistance is targeting internally displaced people, persons affected by the war and returnees. The amount of assistance is 3600 UAH per family member.
To check if you meet the criteria and how much you can receive, please use the calculator.
Calculator: Cash Assistance from UNHCR for IDPs and IDP returnees
*Cash assistance is provided to people displaced within last 6 months
You can apply for cash assistance if you/your family:
- has not previously received assistance from international organisations
- has an income of less than 5,400 UAH per person
- are NEWLY displaced – less than 6 months of displacement
AND belongs to the following categories and has at least one of the Vulnerability Criteria (the list is below).
Internally displaced people
IDPs who have been displaced after 24.02.22 and have vulnerabilities from Vulnerability Criteria.
People affected by war
Persons who have NOT been displaced after 24.02.2022 but have been affected by the war in the following regions: Dnipro, Poltava, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Kherson; and have vulnerabilities from Vulnerability Criteria list.
IDP returnees
People who have RETURNED to their places of permanent residence after being forced to move to another region due to the war as of 24 February 2022 and have vulnerabilities from the list below.
❗Important: to be eligible for assistance, IDP returnees should have a proof of re-registration in their permanent place of residence.
Vulnerability criteria
- families with only one parent (either a father or a mother) with one or more children under the age of 18 or with older persons (55 years and older);
- families headed by one single/several single older persons (55 years and older) or an older person with one or more children under the age of 18;
- families with one or more persons with special needs. Namely, those with disabilities and chronic diseases. The List is not limited to these criteria of special needs;
- foster families who care for unaccompanied children and children separated from their parents (documentary evidence is required).
Common questions about UNHCR cash assistance programme
Assistance is provided by UNHCR to a household. What is a household?
The household is composed of:
- Head of the household (and their grandfather/grandmother, if they are dependents)
- Wife/husband
- Her/his children (up to 23 years old)
- Her/his parents
*Persons who are not listed must register as a separate household even if they live together.
*One person is also considered a household if they meet vulnerability criteria
Important: the enrollment for cash assistance programme cannot be done online. You should either call the UNHCR hotline or visit one of the Multi-Service Protection centres/mobile groups to get a final decision about your eligibility for cash assistance.
Where can I enroll for cash assistance?
You can enroll for cash assistance in UNHCR Multi-Service Cash Assistance Centres and through mobile groups. Please note that you cannot enroll for cash assistance in TSNAPS – however, you can receive other services there such as legal aid, restoration of lost documents, enrollment for social assistance and more.
For how long will I be receiving cash assistance?
Cash assistance is provided for three months. Please note that assistance can be received only once from only one humanitarian organization or UN Agency. The agencies coordinate their efforts to make sure that the individual does not receive assistance multiple times or from different partners.
Which documents do I need for enrollment?
- tax ID number
- national passport or other ID documents
- IDP certificate (if available)
- bank card of the head of the household. The bank account must be in local currency (UAH)
- birth certificates of your children
- legal guardianship or other official custody document that clarify the relationship with the children (when applicable)
- medical report in case of disability or disease that affects your access to services (when applicable)
There is no Multi-Service Protection Centre and mobile groups in my area, can I enroll in a different area?
If you meet the criteria for cash assistance, you can enroll in the closest protection centre or mobile group.