How to get and spend “winter support”: detailed program rules
19 November 2025 18:40
ANALYSIS FROM 
More than 5 million Ukrainians applied for UAH 1000 within 2 days under the Winter Support program, including about a million applications for children. There is still time until December 24. The first payments will begin in 10 days, but the time for using them is also limited. How to apply, where to get and what to spend the “winter thousand”, in the article
The Cabinet of Ministers expects that 10 to 14 million Ukrainians will take advantage of the Winter Support program. The assistance can be obtained by applying in the Diia app. For those who do not use a smartphone or the Diia app, there is an alternative option – through Ukrposhta JSC.
Starting November 18, UAH 1,000 will be automatically credited to pensioners and recipients of social benefits who are serviced by Ukrposhta. These categories do not need to apply separately: the money will be credited to a special account where the pension or benefit is received. Citizens who receive their pensions to a bank account and do not use Diia will be able to submit a written application in person at a Ukrposhta branch from November 18 to December 24, 2025.
However, every Ukrainian should know that a thousand received through Diia opens up more opportunities.
A thousand in the Diia app is transferred to the National Cashback card. You can spend the money on utilities, medicines and products made in Ukraine, postal services, books, charity, and donations to the Ukrainian army.
When you withdraw a thousand hryvnias at an Ukrposhta branch, expect the money to be credited to a special account, which can be spent on Ukrainian-made goods sold at Ukrposhta branches, as well as on utilities, donations, and military bonds.
However, there are also advantages: you can apply through Ukrposhta during the entire application period (until December 24), while through partner banks – only until December 15. The following banks have joined the program:
- PrivatBank
- monobank,
- Ukrgasbank, Ukrgasbank,
- Sense Bank,
- FUIB,
- Abank,
- Globus Bank,
- UKRSIBBANK BNP Paribas Group,
- Oschadbank,
- Accordbank,
- Bank Credit Dnipro.
The thousand is valid until June 30, 2026, regardless of where the payment was made. The previous thousand issued through Diia is still valid until December 31 inclusive. If you don’t spend the money, it will disappear.
And just like last time, it is impossible to withdraw cash from the National Cashback card. And civil servants will have to declare it, as it is considered income.
What Ukrainians spent the previous thousand on
According to the Ministry of Economy, 14.4 million Ukrainians used the program last time. About 12 million applied through Diia, 577 thousand through partner banks, and 130 thousand through Ukrposhta.
The total amount of money spent by the population for the period from December 10, 2024 to February 28, 2025 is UAH 8.6 billion. The applications received about UAH 10.05 billion (i.e., not all was spent at once).
According to the report, Ukrainians spent on:
- utilities: ~UAH 4.9 billion (~57% of total expenditures);
- telecom (mobile communications, etc.): ~1.9 billion UAH
- food/restaurants: ~UAH 443 million;
- medicines (Ukrainian): ~UAH 237 million;
- IT services/networks: ~UAH 234 million;
- charity/donations (including donations to the Armed Forces): ~UAH 202 mln;
- books and printed materials: ~UAH 178 million;
- transportation (trains, buses, etc.): ~120 million UAH
- theaters and cinemas: ~80 million UAH;
- postal services: ~61 million UAH.
Leave the money in the budget
According to economic expert Oleh Pendzin, the main thing is not how Ukrainians will spend this thousand (although this is important, because last time only 3.5% gave it to the army). The main thing is where the money comes from. And according to the Cabinet of Ministers’ document, it will be taken from the funds to support the poor and given to anyone, including the rich.
The Cabinet of Ministers’ resolution states that the winter support payment will amount to UAH 10 billion. To cover the costs, the government is redistributing funds from other social programs – Social Protection of Children and Families – UAH 3.5 billion, Support for Low-Income Families – UAH 1.5 billion. Why take money from the poor and give it to the rich? There are no restrictions on the distribution of a thousand hryvnias, any oligarch, such as Akhmetov, any millionaire, etc. Why do this? This is the main problem,” he emphasized in his commentary
[Kommersant] .
The economist believes that such a “festival of unprecedented generosity” is inappropriate in such a difficult time. The Ukrainian economy will not be affected by this action.
Instead, lawyers advise to think carefully about whether to open a special card to which the winter thousand will be transferred, because under the terms of the contract, everyone who opens it allows access to their personal data. And given the number of information leaks from various digital structures, this can have consequences. In general, lawyers advise not to take this money, leave it in the budget, and ideally, if you do receive it, it is better to donate it to the military.
Author – Alla Dunina
