Updates to the 'Energy Support for Sole Proprietors' Program
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has revised the 'Energy Support for Sole Proprietors' program, broadening the eligible business sectors and extending the application period. This initiative is designed to help small businesses cope with the economic pressures and energy instability caused by the ongoing war. The new deadline for applications is now May 31, 2026, a move intended to encourage greater participation from individual entrepreneurs.
Newly Eligible Economic Sectors
The program now includes several new categories of economic activity. Eligibility for payments has been extended to businesses in:
- the food industry;
- water supply;
- specialized retail of construction materials;
- sporting goods;
- flowers and animal feed;
- and auxiliary activities in the education sector.
According to Ukraine's Ministry of Economy, 'new socially and economically significant types of economic activity have been added to the program.'
To qualify for aid, applicants must be individual entrepreneurs (sole proprietors) registered under Ukraine's simplified tax system (Group 2 or 3) no later than December 1, 2025. Mandatory conditions include having at least one officially employed worker and no outstanding debts on the unified social contribution. The amount of assistance ranges from 7,500 to 15,000 hryvnias, depending on the number of hired employees.
Funds received through the program can be used for:
- purchasing generators;
- batteries;
- solar panels;
- fuel;
- paying electricity bills;
- and repairing equipment.
Applications can be submitted online via the unified energy support platform or the Diia portal. As of March 12, the state has disbursed 380 million hryvnias to 38,000 entrepreneurs. The Ministry of Economy estimates the funding for these new measures at over 1.3 billion hryvnias. The money is allocated from the State Unemployment Insurance Fund.
The expansion of the 'Energy Support for Sole Proprietors' program underscores the Ukrainian government's commitment to bolstering small businesses during a period of severe economic strain. By widening the scope of eligible sectors, the program aims to better address the contemporary challenges entrepreneurs face and support the recovery of vital parts of the national economy.