IDP payments in 2026: what will change for internally displaced persons

This is set out in the guidance on the update to the IDP support programme.

Ukraine is updating the rules for providing living allowances to internally displaced persons in 2026.

The changes concern families with children, people unable to work, vulnerable categories of displaced persons, application deadlines and the duration of payments.

For IDP children under the age of 6, living allowances are now granted regardless of their parents’ income. However, the family must meet the programme’s other criteria.

Children aged between 6 and 18 are eligible for assistance if they live in areas of active hostilities or are in safe areas and attend a local educational institution.

To receive payments from 1 February 2026, an application for a review of the allowance must be submitted by 1 May 2026.

If the family fails to submit the application by this date, payments will be calculated from the month the application is submitted.

Specific updates are provided for pensioners and people with disabilities.

Whereas previously the income of such individuals exceeded the established limit, they can now reapply for a review of their benefits.

In 2026, the income limit is 10,380 UAH per person.

To ensure benefits are calculated from 1 January 2026, pensioners and people with disabilities must submit an application by 1 May 2026.

If this deadline is missed, an application can still be submitted, but payments will be awarded from the month of application.

The payment period has also been extended to support the most vulnerable categories of displaced persons.

Previously, assistance was paid for up to 24 months; this period has now been extended to 30 months.

IDPs who have met the specified criteria over the last three months are eligible for assistance.

The average income per person must be up to 10,380 UAH.

Furthermore, the person must not have purchased a car less than five years old or made other one-off purchases or currency purchases totalling more than 100,000 UAH.

Assistance is not granted to those who received a housing rent subsidy or rented out their own property.

Another condition is the absence of significant savings. This refers to deposits, foreign currency, precious metals or government bonds worth more than 100,000 UAH.

Furthermore, recipients must not be entirely dependent on state support or serving a prison sentence.

The amount of the payments remains unchanged.

For adults, it is 2,000 UAH.

For children and people with disabilities, it is 3,000 UAH.

You can apply for IDP status via the “Diya” app.

To do this, open the app, select the “Services for IDPs” section, then “Obtain IDP status”, fill in the application and verify it with Diya.Sign.

After that, you must wait for the outcome of the review.

If a person already has IDP status and wishes to apply for assistance, this can be done on the Pension Fund portal.

As reported by ThePublic, Emma Antoniuk found herself at the centre of a scandal following a controversial statement in an interview about the need to allocate funds for the Ukrainisation of libraries, particularly in the eastern regions, which she attributed to the influence of Russian propaganda. Further outrage was caused by her description of IDPs as “Russian-speaking mouths”, which many users perceived as offensive and stereotypical.

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