Tallinn's housing aid for Ukrainian refugees to end in May, support remains

Estonia has announced that it will cease providing housing subsidies to refugees from Ukraine residing in Tallinn starting this May.

The decision was revealed by Liis Paloots, head of the Migration Division at the Estonian Social Insurance Board, Caliber.Az reports citing Estonian media.

Paloots explained that the housing support had primarily been extended to those refugees who applied for international or temporary protection, lacked a support network within Estonia, and were residing in state-run accommodation centers while their applications were being processed by the police and Border Guard Board.

While the housing assistance is set to end, Paloots emphasized that support for Ukrainian refugees will not be entirely discontinued. Instead, it will be refocused to ensure more targeted and sustainable assistance for those still in need, adjusting to the evolving circumstances of the refugees' integration into Estonian society.

The Social Insurance Board is also considering ending similar arrangements with other local governments to establish a uniform approach across the country and return to standard procedures. This measure would ensure that the support provided to Ukrainian war refugees is consistent, irrespective of their location, and is solely dependent on whether they require assistance to move out of state accommodation centers.

From June 2022 to April 2025, nearly 11,000 households benefited from this compensation, with 1,710 households receiving support in 2024. Of these, 62 per cent were based in Tallinn. The maximum compensation amount per household was up to 1,200 euros.

By Vafa Guliyeva