Utility bills in winter 2026/27: tariffs, subsidies and what really cuts the bills

What tariffs apply this winter

The government extended special obligations in the household gas market until 31 March 2027. Naftogaz fixed the price at UAH 7.96 per cubic metre in its annual plan until the end of April. Separately, a law bans raising the household gas price and tariffs for heating, hot water and gas distribution for the whole of martial law and six months after it.

Stable tariffs do not mean stable bills: consumption rises in winter. So the gains come not from waiting for discounts but from managing your own consumption and using the benefits you are entitled to.

Housing subsidy: who is entitled and how to apply

A housing subsidy covers part of the cost of utilities within social norms. How much a family pays depends on its income: the lower the income per person, the smaller the mandatory payment share, and the state covers the rest.

Do you need to apply

• No, if you received a subsidy in summer: for most people it is renewed for the heating season automatically, even if the summer subsidy was UAH 0.
• Yes, if you are applying for the first time, your household, utility provider or building manager has changed, you rent your home or you are an internally displaced person.
• Apply again, if you were refused in summer, but first remove the reason: pay off utility debt or formalise employment.

If you apply in October or November, the subsidy is granted from 1 October. Later, it starts from the month of application, so it is not worth delaying.

How to apply

Online: through Diia, the Pension Fund e-services portal or its mobile app. In person: at a Pension Fund service centre or an administrative services centre (TsNAP). You need an application and a declaration of income and assets, and tenants and displaced people also need a lease or an IDP certificate. You can check the status in your account on the Pension Fund portal under "My subsidy".

When it will be refused

Under Resolution No. 848 a subsidy is not granted, among other cases, if:

• in the last 12 months a family member made a purchase or transaction over UAH 100,000;
• deposits and government bonds together exceed UAH 100,000;
• there is a utility debt of more than UAH 680 older than three months, unless it has been restructured or is disputed in court;
• there is alimony debt of more than three months;
• a flat is larger than 130 m² or a house larger than 230 m², with some exceptions;
• an able-bodied family member had no income or no ESV was paid for them;
• family members were abroad for more than 60 days and did not declare income.

What really cuts the bills

A two-zone electricity meter

At night, from 23:00 to 7:00, owners of two-zone meters pay for electricity with a coefficient of 0.5, that is UAH 2.16 instead of UAH 4.32. The daytime price is no higher than the standard one, so two-zone metering cannot make your bill larger.

A two-zone meter is installed by the distribution system operator at your request. The meter and the work cost money, so work out how many months the switch will take to pay back in your case.

Temperature at home

A building's heat loss is roughly proportional to the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperature. If it is 21°C at home and the average temperature over the heating season is around 0°C, lowering it by one degree cuts that difference by 1/21, or about 5%.

The estimate is simplified, but the order of magnitude is right. Lowering the temperature at night and in rooms nobody uses saves even more: a programmable boiler thermostat or radiator valves do it automatically.

Heat loss through windows and doors

• seals on windows and doors and filling gaps cost very little and pay back within a season;
• heat-reflecting panels behind radiators on outer walls return part of the heat to the room;
• do not cover radiators with curtains or furniture;
• air rooms briefly and intensively, for a few minutes, rather than leaving a window ajar for hours.

Hot water and appliances

• a water heater set to 55-60°C instead of the maximum loses less heat, and heating at night on a two-zone tariff is half the price;
• showers instead of baths and water-saving heads cut hot water use;
• washing at 30-40°C instead of 60°C noticeably reduces a washing machine's electricity use.

How to check your bill

1. Submit meter readings every month. Without them the provider bills at an average or a norm, and the difference can build up for months.
2. Compare the readings in the bill with the actual meter and the tariff with the official one.
3. If a service was not provided or was poor quality, for example there was no heating or hot water, record it with a complaint to the service provider. Consumers have the right to a recalculation for the period without the service.
4. Do not let debt build up. Even a small debt older than three months can lead to a subsidy being refused.

What to do if you cannot pay

If the bills do not fit your budget, check whether you are entitled to a subsidy, ask the provider to restructure the debt and review which spending can be cut. How to make a budget where utility bills have their place is explained in the article on the 50/30/20 rule, and where to find money without real sacrifice in the article on how to save money. For unexpected winter expenses such as a boiler repair you need an emergency fund.

In short

• Gas costs UAH 7.96 per m³ until 30 April 2027, electricity UAH 4.32 per kWh, and heating, hot water and gas distribution tariffs may not be raised.
• Most people's subsidy is renewed automatically. New applicants should apply by the end of November to receive it from 1 October.
• A two-zone meter halves the cost of night use: with 120 kWh at night the saving is about UAH 259 a month.
• Each degree lower at home cuts heating costs by about 5%.
• Submit readings every month and avoid debt so you do not lose your subsidy.

This article is for information only. Heating, water and gas distribution tariffs are set separately for each city and operator. Savings calculations are illustrative: actual results depend on the building, the weather and your habits.