Pensioners abroad face suspension of payments: what needs to be done.

Ukrainians forced to leave the country due to war face a lack of social payments

More than 6.8 million Ukrainians who were forced to leave Ukraine due to the war with Russia are having problems receiving social payments. This is especially true for pensioners who cannot return to their homeland.

This was reported by the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, on LB.ua.

According to the UNHCR, cited by the Ombudsman, more than 6.2 million citizens of Ukraine are registered in European countries as persons in need of temporary protection. Another 600 thousand are outside Europe.

'Pension payments to Ukrainians who are abroad are credited to their bank accounts in Ukraine. However, if the money is not withdrawn within a year, the bank informs the Pension Fund, and payments are suspended,' Lubinets said.

Starting from June 23, 2024, according to the Law of Ukraine No. 3674-IX, pensioners abroad must undergo annual physical identification by December 31. If this requirement is not met, payments will be stopped, and funds will be transferred to postal delivery in Ukraine.

However, the Cabinet of Ministers has not yet approved the mechanism for ensuring these payments to citizens abroad. At the same Time, similar mechanisms are already functioning for internally displaced persons and residents of temporarily occupied territories.

Dmytro Lubinets has appealed to the Ministry of Social Policy with a request to develop and submit to the Cabinet of Ministers a relevant regulatory act that will regulate the procedure for pension payments to citizens temporarily staying abroad.