Parental allowance in 2026

Quick overview

Parental allowance is payable to a parent who personally, full-time and properly cares for the youngest child in the family. The application is made at the Labour Office, most conveniently via the Jenda client zone. The total amount for one child is CZK 350,000, for multiple children from January 2026 it is already CZK 700,000. The monthly amount can be chosen and changed according to the rules of the law; if the parents’ daily assessment base cannot be determined or is low, a monthly ceiling of CZK 15,000 applies, or CZK 30,000 for multiple children. The allowance is not linked to the parent’s current earnings, so it is possible to work while receiving it, as long as proper childcare is provided.

Parental allowance is not the same as parental leave

These terms are often confused in common parlance, but legally they are two different things. Parental leave is an excused absence from work under the Labour Code, while parental allowance is a benefit paid by the state. So you can be on parental leave and receive parental allowance at the same time, but there can also be a situation where you have already exhausted the benefit and the parental leave is still ongoing.

For children born from 1 January 2024, you can only receive parental allowance until the child is 3 years old or until the full amount is exhausted. For children born before 31 December 2023, the older rules still apply, i.e. the amount of CZK 300,000 and the possibility of drawing up to 4 years of age.

Who is entitled to parental allowance and under what conditions

A parent is entitled if he or she personally, full-time and properly cares for the youngest child in the family for a whole calendar month. The benefit is not based on family income, so it is not conditional on low income. At the same time, the recipient parent can work or run a business; the crucial factor is that the child is actually cared for.

A very practical change is already in force in May 2026: a child under the age of 2 can attend a nursery, kindergarten or other similar establishment for up to 120 hours a month without losing the parent’s entitlement to the allowance. Children over 2 years of age are no longer tracked. This is a significant change from earlier information, as the previous limit of 92 hours no longer applies.

Typically, in practice, it looks like the parent receives parental allowance, the child attends playgroup a few mornings a week and the parent works part-time or on a contract. This is possible as long as the child is properly cared for.

How and where to apply for parental allowance

The application is submitted to the local contact point of the Labour Office according to the place of residence. It can be submitted via the Jenda client zone, in person, by post, by e-mail with a guaranteed electronic signature or by data box. Jenda is also the most practical today because you can later change the amount of the allowance, upload attachments and monitor the status of the application.

The application is accompanied by identification documents and, depending on the situation, a certificate of entitlement to benefits affecting the amount of parental allowance or a certificate of the daily assessment base. If a parent has received maternity allowance from the OSSZ/PSSZ/MSSZ Brno and wants to use his/her daily assessment base, the system will usually download it automatically.

The benefit can be claimed up to 3 months backwards from the date of application. This is especially important for parents who do not apply for the benefit immediately after the birth of the child or after the end of the maternity allowance.

How much is the parental allowance in 2026

For one child, the total amount remains CZK 350 000. However, for two or more children born at the same time, it has increased from CZK 525 000 to CZK 700 000 from January 2026. This change is crucial for 2026 and older articles often do not yet capture it.

The monthly amount depends mainly on whether at least one parent can be assessed on a daily assessment basis. If so, and it comes out higher than CZK 15,000 per month, the parent can choose to draw up to 70% of thirty times this base. If the calculated amount is lower, or if the daily assessment base cannot be determined at all, a maximum of CZK 15 000 per month can be drawn for one child. For multiple children, the ceiling is CZK 30 000 per month.

In practice, this means that a parent with a higher previous income can use up the entire parental allowance more quickly, while a parent without entitlement to maternity allowance or with a low daily assessment base will be limited by the monthly ceiling. The amount of the drawdown can be changed during the course of the benefit.

What if another child is born and the previous allowance is not exhausted

If another child is born into the family and becomes the youngest child in the family, the entitlement to parental allowance for the older child will cease. This does not mean that the rest of the benefit is automatically forfeited. If the statutory condition relating to the daily assessment base of at least one parent is met, you can apply for a one-off top-up of the unused part of the older child’s parental allowance.

This is particularly important in practice for families where children arrive shortly after each other. This is where the mistake is most often made in that the parents do not notify the Labour Office of the change in time or do not apply for the balance of the benefit.

Working during parental leave and returning to work

It is possible to work while receiving parental allowance without earnings restrictions. In addition, from 1 June 2025, there is an important employment law change: an employee on parental leave can also work for his or her employer on a fixed-term or permanent contract for the same type of work he or she did before taking parental leave. This was not possible before.

After returning from parental leave, it also depends on the age of the child. The employer must reinstate the parent to his/her original job and workplace when the parent returns from parental leave before the child is 2 years old. Later, the law guarantees placement according to the employment contract, i.e. in a job and workplace corresponding to the agreed type of work and place of work.

Further support for parents

In addition to the parental allowance, parents are often entitled to maternity allowance, childbirth allowance or other benefits. These benefits have different conditions and should not be confused with parental allowance. If a family is struggling with finances, it is always worth looking at the whole package of benefits, not just the parental allowance itself.

Summary

Parental allowance is a state social assistance benefit in 2026 for parents who personally, full-time and properly care for the youngest child in the family. The total amount is CZK 350 000 for a single child and CZK 700 000 for multiple children. A child under the age of 2 may attend a nursery, kindergarten or similar facility for up to 120 hours per month. The application is submitted to the Labour Office, usually via Jenda, and the benefit can be claimed up to 3 months in arrears. It is possible to work while receiving the allowance and, from June 2025, the same type of work can also be done on a permanent or part-time basis with the same employer.