The Pension Fund of Ukraine has clarified the procedure for providing housing subsidies to citizens who have reached the age of 60 but do not have sufficient insurance record (work history) to be granted a retirement pension. As RBC-Ukraine reports, citing a statement from the PFU, the absence of a granted pension in itself is not an automatic ground for losing the right to a housing subsidy. This means that the category of Ukrainians who find themselves in a "gap" between the age threshold and the required work history is not deprived of the opportunity to receive state support for paying utility bills, provided that a number of conditions are met.

No Pension Does Not Mean Loss of the Right to a Subsidy

This concerns people who, upon reaching the age of 60, have not acquired the right to a retirement pension solely due to an insufficient insurance record. The PFU emphasizes that in such cases a person is not automatically excluded from the list of housing subsidy recipients. To be granted a subsidy, it is necessary to meet two key requirements that the fund takes into account when reviewing an application. Thus, the status of "no pension" is not identical to the status of "no subsidy," and citizens in this category are entitled to apply to the PFU with a corresponding application.

What Income Period Does the Pension Fund Take Into Account

Particular attention should be paid to the question of the reference period for which the PFU takes into account the household's income when granting a housing subsidy. As an example, the fund cites a situation in which a person applies for a subsidy in October 2026 — that is, at the beginning of the heating season. In this case, the income taken into account in the calculation is for the period from January to June of the same year. It is precisely over this six-month span that the financial situation of the applicant and the members of their household is analyzed.

Two Conditions That Unlock Access to the Subsidy

According to the PFU's clarification, if during the reference period (January–June) a person received state social assistance for an underprivileged family for at least one month and has at least 15 years of insurance record, they may be eligible for a housing subsidy even without the right to a retirement pension. Thus, the combination of two factors — the actual receipt of social assistance during the reference period and a minimum 15-year insurance record — forms the basis for granting the subsidy. It is important that both conditions must be met simultaneously.

Context: Other Mechanisms of Housing Support

The PFU's clarification fits into the broader context of Ukraine's housing policy. Recently, RBC-Ukraine reported that Ukrainians can receive a subsidy for firewood and liquefied gas provided that certain conditions are met. Instructions were also published on how to apply for a subsidy online without a personal visit to a fund branch, as well as clarifications on in what cases and to whom a housing subsidy may be denied. Taken together, these mechanisms form a system of targeted support for households during the 2026–2027 heating season.