Long-term care for loved ones, whether they are an elderly, infirm parent or a seriously ill offspring, is not a cheap affair. Paying for a caregiver, assistance, or starting to care personally and losing a substantial portion of your earnings will usually put a significant strain on the family budget. Therefore, it pays to know the options available to the state to support such situations. The care allowance is one of the key tools to cope with this situation.
Attendance allowance is a social benefit for people who are dependent on the help of others for a long time. This support is used to provide the care needed, whether through relatives, professional social care assistants or residential social services. These include, for example, the elderly care allowance or the child care allowance.
The allowance can be obtained if the conditions defined by the Social Services Act are met, the basis being a long-term adverse health condition lasting at least one year. Elderly persons, persons with disabilities, children over the age of one or any other person who cannot provide for themselves can benefit from the care allowance. It also covers the care allowance for a relative or child.
The care allowance is a social benefit provided under the Social Services Act. It is intended to help people who are unable to provide for themselves and are dependent on the care of someone else. It is essential that the adverse health condition lasts for at least one year or cannot be expected to improve over the following year. It is essential that it is provided directly to the person in need. This is most often a senior citizen, but can also be a child (over one year old) or anyone else. Thanks to the allowance, the person concerned can then pay for the help of a loved one, a social care assistant or a social service provider or a hospice. A possible hospitalisation is not a barrier to eligibility for the allowance. In practice, the person in need is usually helped to deal with the situation by relatives or close friends whose help is sought.
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The allowance is not a sickness insurance benefit. Even under sickness benefits, help can be found in the form of long-term care benefits. In this case, however, it is actually a benefit that is provided directly to carers and has different conditions for provision.
Tip: We’ve covered what you’re entitled to if you get sick in our article.
The amount of the care allowance depends on the level of dependency of the person being assessed, which is determined by their ability to manage everyday activities (known as ‘assessed tasks’).
The law sets out certain categories of life needs and tasks that are examined in the assessment. These are:
There are four levels of dependence:
Each level of dependence corresponds to a certain monthly amount, which is set by law. The amount of the elderly or child care allowance also varies.
The different degrees of dependence of sick persons on the care of others are characterised by their inability to manage a certain number of these needs. The number of unmanaged needs can be thought of as points that determine the degree of dependence.
Tip: What help and benefits can you get if you are a carer? See our article.
The benefit is applied for at the relevant Job Centre using the form. During the assessment, a social investigation is carried out, where a social worker finds out what tasks the person cannot manage. This information is supplemented by a medical report and other supporting documents.
Caring for a child requires a different approach than caring for an elderly person, which is reflected in the assessment and the amount of the allowance. For example, household care tasks are not assessed for children.
The final amount of the care allowance for a close relative depends on the degree of dependence and the age of the person concerned. The different categories and their amounts are set directly by law and it is up to the relevant Labour Office to assess the condition of the person under assessment and assign him or her to one of the categories. As mentioned above, there are four degrees of dependence – mild (degree I), moderate (degree II), severe (degree III) and full (degree IV).
The monthly amount of the allowance determined according to dependence is as of 1 November 2021:
For persons aged one year to 18 years:
The amount of the allowance for persons over 18 years of age is per calendar month:
Under certain conditions, the allowance can be increased, for example if the household income does not exceed twice the minimum subsistence level. A higher allowance is also available to parents caring for a dependent child.
Tip: Read what to do if you disagree with your care allowance.
If you are eligible for this benefit, you can download the care allowance application form from the Department of Labour and Social Affairs website. Depending on your place of residence, you can simply find the relevant Labour Office and submit your completed application electronically with an electronic signature, via a data box or in person. The application must be accompanied by the Notice of Assistance Provider.
The declared status is checked by a social worker. In doing so, the social worker determines to what extent the person being assessed is capable of independent living. Subsequently, the regional branch of the Labour Office sends a request for an assessment of the person’s degree of dependence to the relevant district social security administration. This is based on the person’s state of health, as evidenced by a medical report, and on the result of the social investigation mentioned above, or on the result of the assessing doctor’s own examination.
The allowance is granted by decision of the competent Labour Office. If the recipient agrees with its decision, the allowance will be paid to him or her monthly by bank transfer or postal order.
If the recipient disagrees with the final decision of the Labour Office, for example because he or she disputes the degree of dependence they have determined, it is possible to appeal against the decision. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs then considers the matter.
At any time during the period of entitlement to care allowance, the person entitled may request a change in the amount of the allowance. To do so, they simply need to fill in a proposal for a change in the amount of the allowance on the prescribed form and send it to the Labour Office. During the period of entitlement to the care allowance, the person entitled may request a change in the amount of the allowance at any time. To do so, they simply need to fill in the application form and send it to the Labour Office.
If the income of the entitled person and persons jointly assessed with him/her is less than twice the amount of the minimum subsistence level, the care allowance may be increased by CZK 2,000. The increased care allowance, provided the conditions are met, is payable to a dependent child up to the age of 18 receiving care allowance and to a parent who is entitled to care allowance and is also caring for a dependent child up to the age of 18. The application for an increase in the allowance can be downloaded from the website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
The care allowance is a social benefit for people who are dependent on the help of others for a long time. The amount of the allowance depends on the degree of dependence of the person assessed and his or her ability to manage daily activities. The benefit is applied for at the relevant Labour Office, where a social and health assessment is carried out. The allowance can be used for care of relatives, professional assistance or residential services. If you disagree with the decision, you can appeal. If conditions are met, such as low household income, the allowance may be increased. The allowance helps to ease the financial burden of caring for loved ones, whether they are elderly, children or disabled.
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