In Ukraine for few weeks will recalculate the subsidy for millions of families. According to the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers, discount on utilities is calculated at least twice a year on the first of may and first of October. If grant is appointed to April, is considered the median family income for the previous nine months, and if later – the average income for the previous calendar year. Discount for communal those Ukrainians who in 2016 are earning more, maybe significantly reduced. The website “Today” figured out how Ukrainians will recalculate the subsidies in 2017 and who will have to pay more.
As will recalculate discounts
The average salary in Ukraine over the past year increased by 48%, according to data of the state statistics. At the end of 2015, the Ukrainians in average earning 4362 hryvnia, and at the end of last year – 6475 hryvnia. The amount of income directly affects the amount of subsidy. Last year the subsidy was counted on the basis of income in 2015, and this year will count with the income for last year. As a result, after offsetting the discount for Ukrainians is significantly reduced.
For example, a family of four with two average salaries in this heating season paid for communal discount not more than 1064 UAH, and next year will pay UAH 2033. If this amount fully covers the cost communny services within social norms, the grant of such families can and do pick up. If the grant is issued, the social security authorities will make the allocation automatically.
“If circumstances in the family have not changed, if not appeared for last year unemployed among family members, if the number of the registered person in the apartment has not changed, if you did not purchase for the sum from 50 thousand hryvnias – allocation will produce the bodies of social protection on their own. If something in the family has changed, including something from me above, you have to report it to the social security”, – said the “Today” on a government hotline.
“If something in the family has changed, including something from me above, you have to report it to the social security”, – said the “Today” on a government hotline.
But even those families whose income for the previous year does not changed, in the next heating season will need to pay more. This is due to the fact that the social norm on home heating cut. The new standard – 5 cubic meters of gas per square meter (5.5 cubes) – will come into force in may this year. Now that the subsidies cover 330 cubic meters heating the apartment with an area of 60 square meters, in the next heating season “utilities discount” will charge only 300 cubic meters. If we continue to burn 330 cubic meters, 30 cubic meters have to pay without subsidies. According to the current rate – is still 204 hryvnia.
In the apartment of the same area with Central heating grant will cover instead of 3.28 is only 2.5 Gcal of heat. If you do not reduce consumption, 0,7 Gcal will have to pay without subsidies. In Kiev, this amount of heat will cost about 1411 USD.
Who can get a subsidy
In 2017 the subsidies will receive 9 of the 15 million Ukrainian families, according to the Ministry of social policy. They will go through a special verification of the Ministry of Finance. Now after the inspection, seven thousand families were left without subsidies (the state saved almost 15 million). Just a “blacklist” of the Ministry of Finance got 185 thousand grantees, now the information is verified by the social security authorities.
To provide subsidies for three reasons:
- Grantee hides part of the income
- Grantee made a purchase for the sum from 50 thousand within 12 months of receipt of “discounts”
- Income subsidence increased significantly
Since the middle of last year, if able-bodied family member not officially working, when calculating subsidies, as stated by the Deputy Minister of social policy Vitaly Muminin, will take into account his income in amount of two living wages (currently – UAH 3200). Previously unemployed family member considered income in the amount of one subsistence minimum.
So, if a family of 4 working-age persons has an aggregate income of 10 thousand hryvnia, but one of the family members is not officially open, in the calculation of the grant would assume that the family earns 13.2 thousand. That is, the subsidy, the unemployed person is put at the same level as the subsidy for the Ukrainian minimum wage.
By the way, this year is expected to another novelty. In the Ministry plan to consider when calculating the subsidy income from Bank deposits, it still said Minister Andriy Reva. “We probably still include deposits in the calculation of household income for the purpose of the grant. But, most of all, we will do this with the month of may, after the end of the heating period. Because it is right to include, it’s still possible to consider the income, especially when interest is paid,” said Minister of social policy.
Ukrainians waiting for monetization
Already in 2018, the Cabinet plans to implement the monetization of subsidies. Simply put – a “discount” will be paid with money. Only for 2017 for grants plan to spend 51 billion hryvnia. After monetization, suggest officials will have an incentive to save – less spent on bills, the more money is left. If now the “saved” funds be transferred to the following month, after the monetization of the “change” you will receive “hands on”.
There are several possible monetization schemes. The first is to pay money Teplokommunenergo (CTV), which will offset the subsidies, the second is to transfer the money allocated for subsidies directly to consumers. The second model also has several variants. On the card can list all the money, and the Ukrainians will be able to spend them at its discretion, or the card will list only the savings, if the grantee used the resources provided by a social norm.
Photo: archive
“In my personal opinion, I would go step by step, because this change carries risks. We don’t know how people will behave if we, the card will give all the money, and no usage restrictions. I’m not sure in this case does not fall payment discipline. The ultimate goal is to give money to people. Must be prepared by the technical solution: what card and on what basis. Perhaps you need to start with the monetization of residues, then we avoid the risks of non-payment. Then you need to go full monetization”, – said the representative of the Ministry of Finance, the head of the office of reforms Yana Bugrimova.
“You need to start with the monetization of residues, then we avoid the risks of non-payment. Then you need to go full monetization,” says Yana Bugrimova.
The Deputy head of the Department of the NJSC “Naftogaz of Ukraine” Alexey Habacuc confident that the introduction of monetization of subsidies should be preceded by building a system of verification of recipients of subsidies and the decline of standards, which is assigned to the “discount”.
