Humanitarian Assistance for Winter Heating

Winter Heating Assistance is a type of humanitarian assistance provided to help war-affected people meet their winter heating needs. Depending on the location and preference, assistance may be provided as cash or in-kind support (solid fuel).

The programme is implemented in accordance with Resolution No. 1084 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, dated 3 September 2026, and is available for vulnerable people living in frontline and conflict-impacted areas.

You can use cash assistance to purchase solid fuel or pay for heating utilities, according to your household’s most urgent heating needs. In-kind assistance includes the direct provision of solid fuel.

Where cash assistance is provided, eligible households may receive a one-off payment of UAH 19,400 per household for the 2026–2027 heating season. Payments are provided through bank transfer or cash pickup at banks or post offices.

Humanitarian Assistance for Winter Heating is completely free. You do not pay to receive it, nor do you pay it back.

The programme targets vulnerable categories of people defined by the state in accordance with Resolution No. 1084 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, dated 3 September 2026. Including:

• Household with three or more children under 18  
• Household with children under the age of three
• Single-parent household with at least one child under 18
• Household with members with disabilities
• Internally displaced household receiving a subsistence allowance
• Household with orphans and children deprived of parental care
• Household receiving housing and/or heating fuel subsidies
• Household with unemployed persons of retirement age who are not entitled to a pension

The programme also targets households directly impacted by a recent strike or shelling,  whose home was damaged or destroyed, or became unsafe or uninhabitable. You may also be eligible if you are still living in your home but cannot cope with unexpected expenses caused by the strike. Also, if you have a household member who was injured, hospitalised, or experienced personal loss as a result of the strikes.

Eligibility is based on your household’s situation, and socio-economic vulnerabilities. Not everyone who applies can receive the assistance. You may not have been selected because:

• Other households were assessed as having more urgent needs
• Assistance is limited, and resources are not enough for everyone
• You already received similar assistance during the same period
• Some information was missing or incomplete

Not being selected does not mean you did something wrong. You may contact us at any time to ask for clarification, appeal a decision, and receive additional information on other available support.

In-kind assistance (solid-fuel) will be delivered directly to your household. Delivery arrangements may vary depending on your location and will be communicated to you during registration.

Cash assistance may be delivered through different safe methods depending on your preference and what is available in your area. You may receive the money:

• IBAN transfer
• At a bank or post office branch
• Home delivery by Ukrposhta for most vulnerable people

Cash assistance is typically given to the designated Head of Household on behalf of the entire household. A household includes people living together, sharing a home, a budget, and meals. Children under 18 cannot receive assistance independently.

Registration is 100% free. You should never pay money, give gifts, or offer favours. 

ERC, in coordination with the UN and other humanitarian organisations, is active in transit centres and areas with high humanitarian needs. Registration information will be communicated with affected communities through trusted local channels such as local authorities, social service centres, and local NGOs. If you live in war-affected areas and need support, updates about available humanitarian assistance will be provided through these community networks.

Online registration is available only for affected people living in hard-to-reach, war-torn areas where access to humanitarian aid is limited or unavailable. Online registration opening dates will be announced here in advance - please check this page for updates. 

Humanitarian aid is always free of charge. To apply, you will need to share personal information, which will be kept secure and only accessed by ERC staff involved in processing your application. After you submit your application, the ERC team will review your information and notify you of the decision within 3 weeks.

Before starting your application, please prepare the following documents for all household members:

• Identification documents (ID card, passport, or children’s birth certificate);
• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) certificates for all household members aged 18 and above;
• Bank account number (IBAN); Never give CVV code!
• IDP certificate or evacuation documents (if applicable);
• Documents confirming vulnerability, where applicable (e.g., disability or medical certificates, single-parent certificate, unemployment certificate).

ERC may accept alternative documents as each case is considered individually. A lack of documents does not automatically result in refusal.

As part of the verification process, we will confirm your location. Applications submitted without valid location data may be rejected. When you access the registration form, a pop-up window may appear, depending on your device and browser, asking for permission to access your location. Please select "Allow" and do not block location sharing.

After you apply, ERC will assess your situation based on the information that you have provided. This process can take up to three weeks. Winter heating assistance for people affected by strikes are delivered faster to address the immediate needs after the shock. If you have not received your payment, please wait until the payment timeline explained during registration has passed. If you still have not received it, you can contact the ERC hotline or submit an inquiry through our online platform at any time.

Humanitarian cash assistance is always free. Never pay money. Never share PINs or passwords. If in doubt, stop and call ERC hotline.

• You do not have to pay money
• You do not have to give gifts or favours
• You do not have to exchange services

A humanitarian cash assistance offer is real if:

• It comes from a known humanitarian organisation, local authorities, or an official hotline service
• Information is shared through official channels (local authorities, notice boards, official websites of humanitarian organisations, verified social media pages, or humanitarian hotlines)
• Registration is always free
• You are not asked for money, favours, or secret codes

Be careful if:

• You receive a message from an unknown person on social media
• Someone promises to “speed up” your payment
• You are asked for personal banking passwords or codes

ERC may only ask for your IBAN number to send money. If someone asks for secret codes or passwords, it is a scam. Humanitarian organisations will never ask for your PIN code, password, SMS code, bank card expiry date or the 3-digit number (CVV/CVC) on the back of your card.

If someone asks you for money or favours:

• Do not pay anything
• Do not share personal or banking information
• Stop the conversation immediately
• Report on the incident safely and confidentially through ERC’s hotline or Complaints and Feedback Mechanism, or Local authorities or social protection offices, or the Cyber Police of Ukraine: 0-800-505-170 or online report: https://cyberpolice.gov.ua(Opens in a new tab/window)(Opens in a new tab/window)

Reporting helps protect you and others and does not affect your eligibility for assistance.

Humanitarian organisations ask for your consent before collecting personal data to understand your needs and situation. It will help to evaluate eligibility for assistance and safely provide cash assistance. It also helps to avoid duplication (so the same person does not receive the same assistance twice).

ERC adhere to strict data protection standards to protect your information:

• Your data is used only for humanitarian purposes
• Your data is stored in secure systems
• Your data is accessed only by authorised staff of ERC
• Your data is protected from misuse or loss

You have the right to ask why information is needed and refuse to share some information. However, please note that if essential information is missing, ERC may not be able to provide assistance. Our staff should explain the consequences clearly and respectfully.