Starting July 1, 2025, the Pension Fund of Ukraine will be responsible for reimbursing expenses for free meals for children affected by the Chornobyl disaster (Clause 11, Article 30 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Status and Social Protection of Citizens Affected by the Chornobyl Disaster” of February 28, 1991, No. 796-XII).
📍 The right to free meals in educational institutions is granted to:
🔹 pupils of general secondary and vocational (vocational-technical) education institutions, and students of professional pre-higher education institutions located in areas of radioactive contamination;
🔹 children evacuated from the exclusion zone;
🔹 children with disabilities as a result of the Chornobyl disaster;
🔹 children who resided in the zone of unconditional (mandatory) resettlement from the time of the accident until the adoption of the resettlement decree.
📁 To receive the benefit, it is necessary to:
✔ apply to the administration of the educational institution;
✔ submit an application and provide documents confirming the preferential category (for example, a birth certificate, an IDP certificate, a disability certificate, etc.).
✳ Educational institutions are not entitled to demand documents that are not required by law to confirm the benefit.
🔻 For children who do not receive meals in the mentioned educational institutions, as well as for all days when they did not attend these institutions, a monetary compensation is paid until they reach the age of majority, in the procedure established by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.