Almost all of us find ourselves in a situation where we need help. That’s what state social assistance is there for. It helps families with dependent children in particular, but also people with low incomes and high housing costs. In this article, we’ll look at all the different types of welfare benefits and give you advice on how to apply for them.
Social assistance benefits, or SSP, are covered by the social security system. This is to take care of people who are disadvantaged (e.g. by old age, illness, unemployment or maternity). In addition to social assistance, this system also includes sickness, pension and health insurance, and state employment policy.
The social security system is administered by the state and paid for by the state budget, so it is paid for by all earning citizens. The exception is health insurance, which is handled by individual insurance companies (with a lot of regulation by the state).
Read more about the social security system. Find out when the state protects us, how and to what extent.
State social assistance benefits are mainly for people with dependent children. They can get parental allowance, child benefit, childbirth allowance and funeral allowance. It also includes housing benefit, which is for people without children. Let’s look at the different types of social benefits in more detail:
Wondering how to apply for one of the benefits?
Have you not been awarded SSP benefits even though you are entitled to them? Write to us. We will assess your case and propose an ideal solution. You will have an answer within 24 hours.
Parental allowance is paid to a parent who cares for the youngest child in the family all day. This care does not have to be literally all day, but there are rules – for example, if the child is under 2 years old, he or she can attend nursery school or kindergarten, but only for 92 hours a month. Special rules then apply for sick or disabled children. Whether the child is being looked after by a nanny or grandparents, for example, is irrelevant.
Only the youngest child in the family is entitled to parental allowance. Entitlement to the allowance is valid until the child is three years old or until the total amount of CZK 350 000 has been exhausted. Entitlement to the allowance therefore ceases once the total amount has been exhausted or the child reaches the age of 3. It also ceases if one of the parents becomes entitled to maternity allowance or sickness benefits in connection with the expectation of another child.
We have discussedthe parental contribution in detail in another article. You can also find out what the conditions of this benefit are for this year and what changes are planned for the future.
Child benefit is paid to a dependent child. If the child is a minor, it is traditionally granted to the parents. However, a dependent child can also apply for the allowance, but only if he or she is already 18 years old. At the same time, the allowance will not be granted until the child reaches the age of 26.
Whether the allowance is granted depends on the income of the whole family of which the child is part. Specifically, this income must not exceed the product of the family’s subsistence amount and a coefficient of 3.4 for the previous calendar quarter.
Tip: Calculate your living wage using the calculator available on the MLSA website.
A dependent child is a child who:
The allowance is set monthly at:
An additional CZK 500 is added to the allowance if at least one of the parents has a job, i.e. income from dependent or self-employed activity, or benefits replacing this income (sick pay, maternity pay, pension, unemployment benefit, etc.).
Sickness benefits can be awarded in a number of situations. Whether it is a sick child, an accident, pregnancy or the common cold. Find out how sickness insurance works, what benefits are available and what conditions need to be met.
Childbirth benefits are payable to first- and second-born mothers or to a person who has taken permanent custody of a child under one year old. However, the allowance will not be granted if the family’s income exceeds the product of the family’s subsistence minimum and a coefficient of 2.70 for the calendar quarter preceding the birth or taking into care. The total amount is CZK 13 000 for the first child and CZK 10 000 for the second child.
The funeral allowance is paid as a burial allowance for a deceased person who was a dependent child or parent of a dependent child. It is payable to the person who is in charge of the funeral and does not depend on his or her income or the income of the deceased person. The amount of the funeral allowance is currently CZK 5 000.
The housing allowance is intended for people with low income and high housing costs. Owners, tenants and subtenants of a house or flat can apply for it. To qualify for the allowance, two conditions must be met:
The housing costs are assessed on the basis of the amount of rent or similar costs and the cost of energy and services (e.g. electricity, gas, etc.). The standard cost of housing is set by Government regulation from time to time and is based on the current average cost of housing in each area.
Only a natural person who is a permanent resident of the Czech Republic can be entitled to state social assistance benefits. Entitlement to benefits expires 3 months after the date for which the benefits are due, except for one-off benefits such as birth or funeral benefits, which expire after 1 year.
The net income of the whole family is included in the income for determining entitlement to benefits. This includes all income from employment (e.g. employment or contract work), income from business or other self-employment, income from sickness and pension insurance, unemployment benefit and similar income from abroad.
You can apply for social benefits at the employment office where you live. You can also apply for parental allowance, child benefit and housing benefit at some Czech Post offices. To apply, you must fill in the relevant form, which you can find on the MLSA website. You will often need to submit other documents with the form, such as a certificate of your income.
If you do not want to go to the office or post office in person, you can also use the MPSV online client area to apply. You can apply for housing benefit, child benefit and parental allowance through this system. In addition, you can also use it to report changes, provide evidence of your income and housing costs and change the amount of parental allowance paid. You can find information about the decision directly here or by email or text message.
State social assistance is part of the social security system, which provides help to people in disadvantaged situations. In addition to social assistance, the system also includes sickness, pension and health insurance, paid for from the state budget.
Social benefits include parental allowance, child benefit, childbirth allowance, funeral allowance and housing allowance. Entitlement to these benefits is assessed on the basis of family income, and applications can be made in person at labour offices or the Czech Post Office, or online via the MLSA client zone.
Our team of experienced attorneys will help you solve any legal issue. Within 24 hours we’ll evaluate your situation and suggest a step-by-step solution, including all costs. The price for this proposal is only CZK 690, and this is refunded to you when you order service from us.
Ondřej is the attorney who came up with the idea of providing legal services online. He's been earning his living through legal services for more than 10 years. He especially likes to help clients who may have given up hope in solving their legal issues at work, for example with real estate transfers or copyright licenses.
In person and online. Just choose the appropriate service or opt for an independent consultation when you are unsure.
