Austria Demands Ukrainian Pensioners to Return Hundreds of Thousands of Euros in Social Assistance

In Austria, Ukrainian pensioners are facing demands to return hundreds of thousands of euros in social assistance received under the basic refugee support program, Grundversorgung. This concerns citizens of Ukraine who did not disclose that they receive a pension from their home country when applying for social support. This was reported by the Austrian publication Kronen Zeitung. The basis for the review of payments was a decision by the Lower Austria Regional Administrative Court made at the end of September. The court ruled that the Ukrainian pension is considered income and must be taken into account when determining eligibility for social assistance. Thus, if it turns out that a person was simultaneously receiving a Ukrainian pension and payments under the Grundversorgung program, Austrian authorities may demand the return of overpaid funds. According to available data, the total amount of claims for the return of money already amounts to at least 445,000 euros. Austrian social services recommend that Ukrainian refugees independently inform the authorities of all income they receive from abroad, including pension payments from Ukraine. This is necessary for the correct calculation of the amount of social assistance and to prevent subsequent demands for the return of funds. Those who have already received a notification about the need to return money are advised to seek legal advice. In some cases, it is possible to arrange for the repayment of the debt in installments or to be fully exempt from repayment if such an obligation would lead a person to poverty. Thus, the decision of the Austrian court may affect the financial situation of Ukrainian pensioners who receive both a pension from Ukraine and social support in Austria.