On January 29, 2025, a new state support mechanism for internally displaced persons (IDPs) was launched — a housing rental subsidy. Its primary goal is to provide targeted assistance to those who have lost or had to leave their homes due to the war, promoting their independence and integration into new communities.
On February 6, 2025, a broad discussion on the subsidy took place in Kyiv, bringing together representatives of the executive and legislative branches, local communities, professional organizations (including real estate agents), and civil society. More than 1,000 participants joined the event online.
Key topics discussed included:
- The procedure for applying for the subsidy;
- Consideration of regional differences in rental prices;
- Legal protection of landlords' and IDPs' interests;
- Calculation of payments and practical examples of their implementation.
Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine, Oksana Zholnovych, noted that within the first six days of the subsidy’s implementation, the first IDP family in Zakarpattia had already benefited from it. She emphasized that the mechanism will continue to be improved and expanded: «The housing rental subsidy is an entirely new tool, designed based on principles similar to those used in various countries worldwide. Under this subsidy, we will support IDP families who rent housing but for whom the rental cost is a significant financial burden. Additionally, we will compensate landlords for tax obligations arising from rental agreements (within the social norm). The issue of tax obligations is one of the main reasons why many landlords today hesitate to sign official rental contracts. We are addressing this by ensuring that taxes are paid on behalf of property owners».
Maciej Janczak, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine, emphasized:
«This housing rental subsidy is a step forward to more effective fulfillment of the right to housing as it provides crucial financial support to IDP families renting homes due to displacement. For many displaced families, this is more than financial aid—it is a step toward rebuilding their lives. The Council of Europe remains steadfast in supporting Ukraine in addressing war-related challenges. Within the cooperation projects of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, recovery, reconstruction” 2023-2026, we will continue to support Ukrainian authorities, most importantly in advancing national legislation in the social area, including on social housing».
The subsidy mechanism details are illustrated in an infographic and in animated videos in Ukrainian, created with the support of the Council of Europe. These materials explain the application process and highlight key messages aimed at increasing trust among landlords and tenants in the IDP support mechanism.
Subsidy for rental housing for internally displaced persons (for tenants)
Subsidy for rental housing for internally displaced persons (for landlords)
Video recording of the event broadcast
The event was organised by the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine in cooperation with the Council of Europe projects «Facilitation housing solutions for war-affected people in Ukraine», «Enhanced social protection in Ukraine» and «Facilitating access to human rights and essential services for internally displaced persons and returnees at the community level», which are implemented under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine «Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction» 2023-2026.
