Benefits for combatants: who can apply instead of a military man
7 May 14:32
The wife of a soldier at the front has the right to apply to the Pension Fund of Ukraine (PFU) for benefits on his behalf if he is unable to do so due to being in the combat zone, injury or other circumstances. The Ministry of Social Policy explained how it works, what documents are required and what simplifications are provided for filing an application, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
Who can file an application on behalf of a soldier
If a combatant is unable to apply to the Pension Fund on his or her own (for example, due to lack of access to electronic services or physical impossibility), family members can apply on his or her behalf, including
- spouse of a serviceman or servicewoman;
- disabled parents of the recipient of the benefit,
- unmarried adult children recognized as persons with disabilities from childhood of group II,
- a person who lives with and cares for a person with a disability as a result of war of group I (provided that the person with a disability as a result of war is not married).
These rules are provided for by the relevant resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
What documents are required to apply for the benefit?
The following documents are required to apply for the benefit:
- Application for entering information into the Register of Beneficiaries (application form).
- An application for benefits.
- A copy of the veteran’s certificate (or e-certificate of a veteran).
- A copy of the taxpayer’s card (TIN).
- An official document confirming the actual place of residence (if necessary).
Simplified procedure
Instead of two separate applications (for registration and benefits), you can submit one simplified application. It contains a minimum set of data, and the Pension Fund independently collects the rest of the information from official sources through digital exchanges.
Important: the application must include the details of the bank account of the recipient of the benefit (military personnel) to which payments will be credited.
How to apply
There are several ways to apply for benefits:
- Offline: by contacting the nearest Pension Fund office.
- Online: through the Pension Fund’s electronic services (web portal or mobile application), if it is possible to submit documents in digital format.
- Through the ASC (Center for the Provision of Administrative Services).
Main benefits for combatants
1. Medical care
- Free medicines with prescriptions.
- Free dental prosthetics, except for dentures made of precious metals.
- Sanatorium treatment or reimbursement of its cost (currently the benefit is suspended for 2023-2025).
- Annual medical examination and medical check-ups, priority hospitalization and services in medical institutions.
- The right to use clinics and hospitals when changing jobs or retiring.
2. Housing and utility benefits
- a75% discount on housing (rent) and utilities (gas, electricity, etc.) within the established norms.
- Families with only disabled persons are entitled to double the rate of discounts for heating.
- 75% discount on the cost of fuel for people without central heating.
3. Transportation benefits
- Free travel by all types of public transport, as well as suburban and intercity transport, regardless of place of residence.
- Free round-trip travel (rail, water, air or intercity transport)once every two years or a 50% discount once a year.
4. Employment benefits
- Annual vacation at a convenient time and additional paid vacation – 14 calendar days.
- 100% payment of temporary disabilitybenefits regardless of length of service.
- Preferentialright to keep the job in case of redundancy and priority employment.
5. Housing issues
- Priority provision of housing for people in need of better living conditions.
- Combatants who havebeen injured are provided with housing within two years of being registered for housing.
- Opportunity to obtain loans for construction, housing repairs, and utility connections, with repayment within 10 years.
- Preemptive right to a land plot for housing, gardening or horticulture.
6. Other social benefits
- Communication benefits: priority installation of a landline and discounts of up to 80% on services.
- Priority service in public catering, transportation, social protection, and household institutions.
- Education benefits: preferential or non-competitive admission to universities and vocational schools.
- Independence Day assistance – an annual one-time cash payment.
- Increase in pension or allowance – by 25% of the subsistence minimum for persons who have lost their ability to work.
Important to know:
To receive benefits, you must have a combatant certificate of the established form.
Many of the benefits also apply to family members of combatants who live with them.
The amounts of certain payments and the procedure for receiving certain benefits (e.g., sanatorium treatment, compensation, etc.) are determined annually by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
