Housing voucher in use: Change to the program in August 2026

The PravoVsim team continues its series of publications on the Housing voucher in use. In this article, we explain the changes that will take effect in August 2026 and may affect eligibility for housing assistance.

Previously, we covered specific situations in the articles Rejection of application from civilians with war-related disabilities and Delays in approving one spouse's application.

As a reminder, under the Procedure, assistance is available to Ukrainian citizens who are registered as internally displaced persons (IDPs), were displaced from occupied territories for which no date of the end of the temporary occupation has been determined, and who belong to one of the following categories:

1. veterans defined in paragraphs 19–25, Part 1, Article 6 of the Law of Ukraine On the Status of War Veterans and Guarantees of Their Social Protection;
2. persons with war-related disabilities defined in paragraphs 11–16, Part 2, Article 7 of the same Law.

When can assistance be refused

From the outset, Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1176 has contained a list of circumstances that prevent a person from receiving assistance. In particular, the programme does not apply to individuals:

1. who are subject to sanctions;
2. who have been convicted of crimes against the foundations of national security or international legal order;
3. who, either individually or together with their family members, own residential property;
4. who have already received financial compensation for housing;
5. who have already been provided with permanent housing by the state;
6. who have submitted an application for compensation for destroyed residential property or have already received an approved decision granting such compensation.

For the purposes of this programme, family members include one spouse and children under the age of 18.

Changes effective from 1 August 2026

Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 723 of 4 June 2026 does not cancel the programme but introduces more comprehensive verification procedures.

The state will now carry out enhanced cross-checks using various state registers to assess not only the information provided in the application but also the applicant's and their family's housing and social history.

From 1 August 2026, the following additional information will be verified:

1. whether you or your family members have terminated ownership rights to residential property located in territory controlled by Ukraine between 24 February 2022 and the date of submitting the application (for example, by selling or donating a property);
2. whether you have participated in other state housing programmes or preferential mortgage schemes, including eOselia;
3. whether you registered or declared your place of residence in temporarily occupied territory after the occupation had begun.

If you plan to apply for a housing voucher

It is advisable to prepare in advance to avoid refusals or delays in the consideration of your application:

1. review your housing history and that of your spouse;
2. if your marriage was registered after 24 February 2022, make sure this information is correctly reflected in the relevant state registers;
3. if you have previously applied for other housing programmes, clarify their current status (whether a decision has already been made or the application is still under consideration).

Lawyers on the PravoVsim platform provide free legal consultations on the eligibility criteria, procedures, and implementation of the Housing Voucher programme for internally displaced persons.