Unified Cash Transfers for War-affected Populations in Ukraine

Unified Cash Transfer (UCT) is a type of humanitarian cash assistance provided as unrestricted and unconditional cash, meaning people can use the money based on their own most urgent needs.

UCTs are tailored to different situations, such as:

• Living near the frontline
• Evacuation or new displacement
• Being affected by strikes
• Long-term displacement and vulnerability

You can use Unified Cash Transfer (UCT) to cover your urgent basic needs, including food, drinking water, hygiene items, transportation, clothing and shoes, and other household essentials. The purpose of UCT is to give you flexibility and choice to decide what is most important for you or your family.

Unified Cash Transfer (UCT) is completely free. You do not pay to receive it, nor do you pay it back. UCT is also free from taxation.

Unified Cash Transfer is provided to people whose capacity to meet their own basic needs are affected by the war. These groups are:

• People living near the frontline: Eligibility is based on where you live, your household’s situation, and socio-economic vulnerabilities. Elderly people, people with disabilities, or people with chronic illnesses are often prioritised because they may have higher needs or face social and physical barriers to income or services
• People affected by evacuation or new displacement: This includes people who were evacuated within 45 days from frontline unsafe communities by authorities as well as those who left voluntarily to protect their safety
• People affected by strikes: This includes households whose home was damaged or destroyed, or became unsafe or uninhabitable, within 45 days of the strike. 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
• Vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs) living outside areas of active hostilities: This includes vulnerable people, displaced for more than 6 months, meet basic needs while they resolve barriers and enrol in government social protection programmes. This assistance is not open for direct application. Selection is referral-based through protection services

Not everyone who applies can receive Unified Cash Transfer. 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.

The Unified Cash Transfer (UCT) amount is adapted to each Strategic Priority (such as frontline living, evacuation, or strike impact) to reflect the generic needs and level of shock faced by different population groups. This ensures that cash assistance is fair and context-appropriate. Eligible households may receive UCT amount depending on their situation:

• People living near the frontline may receive a one-time payment of 10,800 UAH per person, which covers 6 months
• People affected by evacuation, new displacement, or strikes may receive a one-time payment of 12,300 UAH per person, which covers 3 months
• Most Vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs) who are living away from frontline areas may receive monthly support of 2,000 UAH per adult per month Children and persons with disability(ies) may receive 3,000 UAH per month

ERC can deliver cash assistance to you 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 community leaders, 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. Unified Cash Transfer for people affected by evacuations or 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)

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.

Q1. How is Unified Cash Transfer different from government payments or pensions?

• Unified Cash Transfer (UCT) is humanitarian assistance provided by humanitarian organisations in response to war-related needs and is usually temporary. UCT is meant to complement, not replace, government support. The aim is to reduce war-born vulnerability of people.
• Government payments and pensions are state social support provided by the Government of Ukraine and are managed mainly by the Ministry of Social Policy. It complies with national laws and social protection regulations.

Q2. Does receiving Unified Cash Transfer affect my government benefits?

No. Receiving humanitarian cash does not reduce your pension, does not cancel IDP assistance, and does not affect other state social benefits. Humanitarian assistance and government support are separate systems and can be received at the same time.

Q3. Can people living in temporarily occupied territories receive Unified Cash Transfer?

Yes. However, availability of assistance depends on security conditions, access constraints, and safe delivery methods.

Q4. Can someone help me apply if I can not do it myself?

Yes, if you need help, you can ask a family member or a trusted person to assist you. You can also seek assistance from our staff or contact local authorities or social workers.

Q5. Can I be eligible for Unified Cash Transfer if I have already received humanitarian assistance?

Sometimes, yes. This depends on the type of assistance, how long ago you received it, and your current situation and needs. However, the same type of Unified Cash Transfer is not given twice at the same time; humanitarian organisations coordinate to avoid duplication (receiving the same type of Unified Cash Transfer from the same or different humanitarian organisations at the same time in a given period).

Q6. How are transfer amounts for Unified Cash Transfer decided?

Transfer amounts for Unified Cash Transfer are determined through a data-driven, evidence-based process. This includes analysis of household spending patterns and cost of living and socio-economic conditions in different areas.

The Unified Cash Transfer amount is adapted to each Strategic Priority (such as frontline living, evacuation, or strike impact) to reflect the generic needs and level of shock faced by different population groups. This ensures that cash assistance is fair and context-appropriate.

Q7. How do humanitarian organisations evaluate the criteria for selection?

Humanitarian organisations prioritise people based on clear and agreed criteria, such as:

• Safety and living conditions
• Household size and household responsibilities
• Displacement or evacuation
• Damage to housing, or loss of income
• Household situation (for example, elderly people, people with disabilities, families with children)

This helps ensure that assistance is fair and needs-based.

Q8. Can I appeal if I was not selected?

Yes. If you were not selected or think a mistake was made, you can:

• Ask us to explain the decision by contacting us our hotline or using the online form
• Request a review of your information
• Correct any wrong or missing details

You can find trusted, official information about Unified Cash Transfer (UCT) from Ukraine Humanitarian Information Hub (chatbot) on Telegram and Viber.