Discounts on utility bills are under threat: beneficiaries face massive inspections.

Ukrainians who receive utility discounts may be subject to inspections. The Ukrainian government intends to streamline the system of state payments and has already prepared a new methodology for verifying benefits, which is currently open for public discussion on the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine’s platform.

It is planned that the verification will cover benefits for housing and utility payments, as well as subsidies for solid fuel and liquefied gas. The main goal is to establish unified verification standards to prevent abuse and duplication of payments.

The explanatory note states that Ukrainians receive benefits in cash, so control over their spending should be transparent and standardized. The new methodology has been developed in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On Verification and Monitoring of State Payments,” and the checks will be carried out according to rules agreed upon with the ministries.

Information on beneficiaries will be checked in the Pension Fund’s databases, the registers of the Ministry of Justice, the State Migration Service, and other official sources. This includes checking a person’s physical presence, registration, simultaneous receipt of subsidies and benefits, and the legitimacy of statuses such as disability or war veteran.

Although this is still a project, the apparent trends of Ukrainian government agencies indicate that they are tightening control over payments and looking for “extra” funds for social budget items.