Quick summary
- The minimum subsistence level is the legal limit for basic personal needs; it does not include housing costs.
- The subsistence minimum is an even lower amount and is only used in limited, usually punitive, situations.
- In 2026, the assessment depends mainly on household composition, age of children and countable income.
- The deciding factor is often who is the jointly assessed person, not just the amount of earnings themselves.
- After the changes from October 2025, entitlement must already be assessed under the new state social assistance benefit system.
Not sure if you are entitled to benefit, how to properly document household income or how to defend against a refusal? We can help you assess your entitlement, prepare your claim, appeal and how to proceed with the Jobcentre.
What is the living wage and what is it for?
The minimum subsistence level is the amount of money that the state considers necessary to cover the basic needs of life. These necessities include food, clothing, or ordinary services. It is therefore important to note that the minimum subsistence level does not cover housing costs. This is dealt with separately.
The amount of the subsistence minimum varies depending on whether it is claimed by an individual or by a household of several members. However, the family subsistence minimum is not simply the sum of individuals and their entitlements, but is calculated according to specific rules and rates.
The subsistence minimum is used in particular for assessing social entitlements, especially under the Act on Assistance in Material Need, the Act on State Social Support for certain benefits and the Act on State Social Assistance Benefits. In addition, it is also used to assess the amount of child maintenance and to determine the amount to be recovered in the event of execution or insolvency. The minimum subsistence level is regulated by the Act on Living and Subsistence Minimum.
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What is the subsistence minimum?
The subsistence minimum is an even lower amount than the minimum subsistence level. The subsistence minimum is meant to ensure a person’s absolute survival, not a normal standard of living, which is what a living wage is for. It is used in exceptional cases when the state does not recognise the claimant’s entitlement to full assistance for various reasons (for example, when a person does not cooperate with the authorities or repeatedly refuses employment).
The subsistence minimum is therefore used as a kind of last safety net – often as a sanction if a person fails to fulfil his or her obligations to the employment office, for example (repeatedly refusing to cooperate with the office, unreasonably refusing retraining or a job offer, not making a long-term effort to increase his or her income) – so instead of the subsistence minimum, he or she receives only the subsistence minimum. This implies that the subsistence minimum is a punitive instrument to motivate a proactive approach.
According to the Labour Office of the Czech Republic, the subsistence minimum cannot be applied to a dependent child, a person receiving an old-age pension, a person with a third-degree disability, and a person over 68 years of age.
What is the living wage and subsistence minimum in 2026?
This year the living wage and subsistence minimum have been increased, the current amounts for 2026 are as follows:
- Subsistence minimum: CZK 3 130
- Individual (subsistence minimum): CZK 5 500
- First adult in the household: CZK 5 000
- Additional adult: CZK 3 750
- Child under 6 years: 3 050 CZK
- Child 6 -15 years: 2 480 CZK
- Child 15-26 years (dependent): 3 490 CZK
As you can see, the minimum subsistence amount depends on the age of the child, the number of members in the household and their status (whether they are the first or next adult).
How to calculate the minimum subsistence level for a family
The calculation of the minimum subsistence level is always based on the actual income of the entire household. When assessing eligibility for the minimum subsistence income, the following are counted among the incomes:
- wages,
- pensions,
- alimony,
- income from business, rental and capital assets,
- benefits and unemployment benefits.
On the contrary, they are not included:
- housing benefit, housing benefit supplement and one-off social benefits,
- income from the sale of immovable property and severance payments for vacating a dwelling used to meet the cost of housing needs,
- compensation for damages and funds for the consequences of a natural disaster,
- financial assistance to victims of crime,
- social assistance provided by the employer,
- support from foundations and civic associations,
- scholarships,
- rewards for blood donations,
- tax bonus,
- care allowance (for jointly assessed persons), material hardship benefits
- the part of the allowance for the child’s needs that is due for health reasons,
- mobility allowance and special assistance allowance,
- a special pension allowance for participants in the national struggle for the creation and liberation of Czechoslovakia,
- income arising from a decision of the European Court of Human Rights on the basis of just satisfaction or amicable settlement.
For 2026, the previous simple rule that a fall in income below the minimum subsistence level triggers entitlement to the living allowance no longer applies. From October 2025, the legislation introduced a state social assistance benefit to replace child benefit, housing benefit, subsistence allowance and housing benefit supplement. One of its components is the subsistence component, which is available to households with an income below 1.43 times the minimum subsistence level.
When calculating the minimum subsistence level of a family, it is necessary to follow the household structure. As an example, here is a calculation for a family with two parents and two children aged 5 and 10.
- First adult: CZK 5,000
- Second adult: CZK 3 750
- Child under 6 years old: 2 480 CZK
- Child 6-15 years old: 3 050 CZK
Family subsistence = 5 000 + 3 750 + 2 480 + 3 050 = 14 280 CZK/month.
This amount represents the threshold below which the household income should never fall without the family being entitled to social assistance.
You can apply for state social assistance through the Labour Office of the Czech Republic, not only at its contact offices but also online.
Tip for article
The social security system in the Czech Republic is one of the most advanced, although many people are not satisfied with it. Find out in which cases and to what extent the state will protect you.
Who is a jointly assessed person?
According to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, jointly assessed persons include
- parents and minor dependent children,
- spouses or partners,
- parents and dependent minor children or adult children, provided that these children share a flat with their parents and are not assessed with other persons,
- other persons sharing the dwelling, except for persons who prove that they do not live together permanently and do not jointly meet the costs of their needs,
- and persons temporarily staying away from the dwelling for reasons of continuous training for a future occupation, health or work (including voluntary service).
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