Check your status: are you eligible for subsidies for utility bills
Only the oligarchs have no financial problems. If you have to strictly control your budget, it makes sense to pay attention to the costs of housing and communal services. Many people have no idea how much money can be saved by using the right to benefits. The topic of this material homemaster.techinfolux.com/en/ is subsidies for housing and communal services and everything connected with them. Who they are supposed to, how to issue and receive support from the state and the specifics of the calculation for different categories of benefits - in this article.
The content of the article
- 1 Who is legally entitled to subsidies for utility bills and who may be denied
- 2 How is the subsidy for housing and communal services calculated in Moscow and the regions
- 3 What documents need to be prepared to receive state support
- 4 Where to apply for compensation for housing and communal services
- 5 Calculating utility subsidies: the basics
- 6 For how long is the subsidy assigned
- 7 How many subsidies for housing and communal services are transferred and what to do if the money has not come
- 8 The size and characteristics of subsidies for housing and communal services for different categories of citizens
- 9 Last important information
Who is legally entitled to subsidies for utility bills and who may be refused
Not every citizen can receive state aid from the state. The law limits the circle of persons who can count on subsidies. These are families with the status of low-income or large families, single mothers, pensioners and disabled people, citizens who have lost their jobs. The Housing Code of the Russian Federation defines the circle of persons who can count on state support in article 159. Generally speaking, families are entitled to subsidies if the costs of housing and communal services take away from them more than 22% of the family budget. This rule is stipulated in the government decree of August 29, 2005. To receive support, you need to convince the commission at the social protection authorities at your place of residence of your need.
Further, the nature of subsidies will be determined by regional norms. Only those who live in apartments from the state fund, who rent housing under an official contract, and members of housing cooperatives, as well as full-fledged owners of square meters, can count on help from the state. The benefit is not provided if you are a dependent, have entered into a life annuity agreement, have debts to pay for services, or live on the right to free use of housing.
Foreign citizens-migrants, except for Belarusians and Kyrgyz, are not eligible for subsidies. The Russian Federation has concluded an agreement with these countries on the mutual possibility of subsidizing. State aid is also not allowed if you own a living space that exceeds the established standards, that is, more than 33 square meters for a single tenant, 21 meters for a family of two and 18 for a family of three or more members.
How is the subsidy for housing and communal services calculated in Moscow and the regions
Each region independently determines additional conditions for calculating subsidies. The difference can also be in the organizations that are charged with this task. In most regions, this function is assigned to the bodies of social protection of the population. There is a separate institution in Moscow that receives and processes incoming applications for benefits - the City Center for Housing Subsidies.
Note! The city authorities, with a more powerful budget than other regions, have established the right to subsidies for families whose utility bills exceed 10% of their income. And the support itself is half of the consumption rate.
Other regions of the Russian Federation establish their own rules, but in any case, all sources of income, including unemployment benefits, pensions and scholarships, the number of family members and the size of the living space, will be taken into account to calculate the subsidy for housing and communal services.
For example, the procedure for granting subsidies for housing and communal services in the Moscow region in 2018 gives the right to exempt a family from paying utility bills in full if the income per family member is less than 800 rubles per month, subject to the area norm.
What documents need to be prepared to receive state support
There is a basic list of papers that must be collected in order to receive benefits. You will need to fill out an application in the form proposed at the reception point. In addition to the application, it is necessary to prepare identity cards of all family members (passports), the applicant's work record book, checks confirming the fact that there are no debts for utility bills. You will need a certificate of family composition and documents confirming the income of each person for 6 months.
The operator will ask you to provide a bank statement with the details for transferring the subsidy.
Advice! When going to apply for benefits, make copies of all the listed documents in advance. At the reception point you are obliged to make them, but this way you will significantly save time.
Digital technologies make it possible to apply remotely - through the "Gosuslugi" portal. Here you will see detailed information about what documents are needed to calculate subsidies for housing and communal services. But keep in mind: all the listed papers will still have to be brought in the original within 10 days from the date of the electronic application, otherwise you will not get the desired result.
Video instruction: how to register on the "Gosuslugi" portal
Where to apply for compensation for housing and communal services
After you have collected all the papers on the list, you can contact them personally to the social protection authorities at your place of residence.
The second available option is the registration of subsidies for housing and communal services through the MFC, which are in every city and districts of large cities. Employees of these centers are empowered to receive such applications and apply for benefits in the same way as social workers. You can fill out an application through the "Gosuslugi" portal. You need to go to the appropriate section of your personal account and select the services in your city according to the prompts.
A package of documents for obtaining a subsidy for paying for housing and communal services with an application can be sent by mail, but, as we have already said, such an absentee appeal does not exempt you from the need to provide originals of documents for certification of copies. The time frame for making a decision on your application is determined by administrative regulations. This is 10 business days from the date of application. After that, the authorized body is obliged to notify you of the decision. How he will do this, you must indicate in the application.
Calculating utility subsidies: the basics
Each region sets its own standards for calculating compensation:
- utility tariffs;
- procedure for calculating benefits;
- consumption rates per family member;
- requirements for the improvement of premises;
- limits on utility costs.
Administrative bodies approve the formula for calculating benefits by a special decree.
Note! If the amount of the established assistance exceeds the actual expenses of its recipient and this is established by verification, it will be necessary to reimburse the excess funds to the budget.
Common formula for calculations
The authorities responsible for the appointment of state aid apply the following formula for the calculation:
Subsidy size = Limits on housing and communal services in the region - average monthly family income x 0.22 (the established amount of expenses in the region)
There is one caveat: if the family's monthly income is less than the subsistence minimum established in the region, a correction factor is added in the calculation. Recall that income includes all possible sources, even dividends and interest from bank deposits.
How to calculate a subsidy for housing and communal services: online calculator
Each region has its own maximum allowable share of the cost of housing and communal services. The amount of the benefit depends on this value. As already mentioned, in Moscow it is 10%, and in Omsk, for example, - 18, in Kemerovo - 17. The approved cost of living is also different.
For how long is the subsidy assigned
Rent subsidies are paid monthly and are assigned for six months. After 6 months, in order to extend the receipt of payments, you need to collect all income certificates and the above documents again. Specialists of the authorized body will check whether your status has changed and whether you still have the right to state support.
How many subsidies for housing and communal services are transferred and what to do if the money has not come
There is no single date for the transfer of the subsidy established in all regions. You will receive your first payment one month after your eligibility was approved. But the next one will be credited to you on the date set in the institution of social protection. Usually this date is no later than the 25th, usually from 15 to 25.
If this period has passed, and the money has not shown up in your account, do not rush to write a complaint. If the payment was officially suspended or canceled, you would have received legal notice within five days.
Just call the authorized body and ask why the listings are missing. If it's not about funding, you must explain in detail the reason for the suspension of subsidies. You may have to provide some additional documents.
Another reason for the delay may be at the bank. Incorrectly specified account or name of the recipient, and the funds will freeze until the addressee is clarified. In this case, ask for a payment or a statement on the transfer of funds in social security and contact the bank.
The size and characteristics of subsidies for housing and communal services for different categories of citizens
The calculation and payment of utility benefits for different categories of citizens are slightly different. The difference is in the principle of granting the benefit and its calculation.
How subsidies are provided to low-income families in 2018
The principle of providing subsidies for housing and communal services for low-income families is that the family fully pays for all utilities, and then returns a percentage of the incurred social security costs to the applicant's bank account. In some regions, a different principle is applied - the fee is simply reduced by a set percentage, and no funds are transferred separately.
To obtain the right to a subsidy, one of the family members collects the entire package of documents and applies with it to the social protection authorities. Authorized organizations are obliged to consult the applicant free of charge on all issues of interest.
Subsidies for housing and communal services for labor veterans and pensioners
Subsidies for housing and communal services for pensioners are provided on a general basis. The procedure for applying for the benefit is the same as for low-income families. If a pensioner for some reason does not want or cannot receive payment to a bank account, he can receive it by mail.
Subsidies for utility bills for people with disabilities
People with disabilities are eligible for a 50% discount or compensation for utility costs. If a disabled person lives in a house that is heated with coal or wood, he is also entitled to state support in the purchase of such fuel. To receive compensation, you must contact the same social security authorities and provide, in addition to basic documents, a certificate of disability. Subsidies for housing and communal services are provided to disabled people of groups 1, 2 and 3.
If a person with disabilities cannot personally apply to the authorized body, a trusted person can represent his interests.
State aid is given not only directly to the disabled, but also to the families that support them.
Utility subsidies for military personnel
The subsidy for military personnel with an officer rank is provided taking into account the length of service. For the calculation, a correction factor is applied: if the length of service is up to 16 years - 1.85, up to 20 - 2.25, and so on. With each year of experience, starting from 21 years, the coefficient grows by 0.075. The maximum is 2.75. Families of servicemen who died in the line of duty can also count on the maximum coefficient.
Last important information
Remember what they say: knock and it will be opened for you. All types of state support are declarative in nature, that is, if you do not apply with the application and documents, you will not be automatically compensated. And no one is obliged to look for you and explain the possible options for obtaining benefits.So follow the information carefully, watch the news, seek advice from legal services, and, believe me, you can significantly improve your financial situation. If you have more information on sponsoring, share it in the comments!