Pavlo Frolov, Head of the Verkhovna Rada Special Commission on the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons, has warned that delays in implementing the mechanisms of the new law "On the Protection of the Rights and Freedoms of IDPs" pose a real threat to thousands of displaced persons. According to him, the Ministry of Social Policy failed to prepare the necessary bylaws within the three-month statutory period established by law, leaving a number of key procedures non-functional. RBC-Ukraine reports this.
What Is Not Working and Why It Is Dangerous
The new wording of the law provides for comprehensive state support for IDPs in accordance with international standards, including updated registration and revised approaches to granting assistance. However, as Frolov emphasizes, the implementation of these mechanisms is stalling: the Ministry failed to meet the three-month deadline set by law to draft the bylaws. As a result, IDPs find themselves in a legal vacuum—the old rules formally remain in effect while the new ones are not yet operational, and the deputy assesses this gap as the main risk.
The Key Threat: The 90-Day Audit
Frolov identified the 90-day verification procedure for IDPs, to be launched after the information database becomes operational, as the primary risk. According to him, unclear and poorly managed procedures could lead to people being unjustifiably deregistered, resulting in the loss of their entitled aid. The deputy urged the government to urgently adopt the necessary documents to prevent a mass cutoff of social payments for IDPs. According to Frolov, the Ministry has already drafted two resolutions—regarding new IDP registration and the assessment of their needs—however, both documents still need revision taking into account human rights advocates' remarks.
What Happens to Current Certificates and Payments
Importantly, previously issued IDP certificates remain valid and are not automatically cancelled. New documents can be obtained via the Diia service, Administrative Service Centers (ASC), or social protection authorities. The procedure for granting housing allowances remains unchanged for now. Until the new mechanisms become operational, living allowances are paid under the previous rules: the program has been extended until the end of February 2027, and for some families, payments are renewed automatically without requiring a repeated application.
Prospects for Increased Payments
Starting next year, the amount of aid provided to IDPs could increase. The Verkhovna Rada Budget Committee supported the instruction to the government to work on raising monthly payments: it is proposed to assign 4,000 hryvnias per month to children and people with disabilities, and 3,000 hryvnias to other IDPs. These figures exceed the current allowance by 1,000 hryvnias and, according to legislators, are intended to compensate for the rising cost of living. Nevertheless, the final decision on the increase depends on the adoption of the respective bylaws, the preparation of which, as noted, is delayed.
Context: From Law Adoption to Real Implementation
The new version of the law "On the Protection of the Rights and Freedoms of IDPs" entered into force on October 22, 2026. The document was intended to update the IDP registration system, unify criteria for granting assistance, and align Ukrainian practice with international standards for the protection of internally displaced persons. However, as the experience of the first weeks after the law's entry into force shows, the gap between the regulatory text and the operational readiness of agencies remains significant. For IDPs, this means that in the coming months they will have to rely on old procedures while the government and the Ministry finalize the bylaws. Frolov insists that the longer the adoption of these documents is delayed, the higher the probability that when the information database and the 90-day verification are launched, some people will be left out of the aid system without legal grounds for such a decision.
