Care allowance in the Czech Republic 2026: amounts, eligibility and how to apply

When a parent stops managing everyday things alone, families usually face two questions at once: how to organise care and how to pay for it. The care allowance (příspěvek na péči) is a benefit paid by the Labour Office (Úřad práce) to a person who, because of a long-term unfavourable health condition, needs help from someone else. Here is what applies in 2026.

How much is the care allowance in 2026

From 1 January 2026 the amounts in levels I and II went up (Act No. 360/2025 Coll.). For people over 18 the monthly amounts are:

• Level I (mild dependency): CZK 1,300 (previously 880)
• Level II (moderate dependency): CZK 5,400 (previously 4,900)
• Level III (severe dependency): CZK 14,800
• Level IV (full dependency): CZK 23,000 with a residential social service, CZK 27,000 when care takes place at home

Different amounts apply to children under 18. For the full and current overview see the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MPSV) website or ask the Labour Office — this article is a guide based on figures valid in October 2026.

How the level of dependency is set

The assessment looks at how many of ten basic needs the person cannot manage alone: mobility, orientation, communication, eating, dressing and putting on shoes, personal hygiene, using the toilet, looking after one's health, personal activities and looking after the household. For adults, roughly: 3–4 unmanaged needs mean level I, 5–6 level II, 7–8 level III and 9–10 level IV.

How to apply

• The application goes to the Labour Office for the place of permanent residence — in person at a branch or electronically.
• It includes a notice of who will provide the help: family, a social care assistant, a registered social service, or a combination.
• A social worker visits the home for a social assessment and goes through what the person can and cannot manage.
• An assessing doctor then sets the level of dependency based on medical records from the GP and specialists.
• The Labour Office issues a decision. The whole process usually takes two months or more.

A tip for the home assessment

Older people tend to show a stranger that they manage everything. It helps to be present and to describe an ordinary day, not the best one: when help with dressing is needed, who does the shopping, who keeps track of medication, how often someone has to get up at night. Writing it down beforehand helps.

What the allowance is for

The allowance is meant to secure help — from family, a social care assistant or a registered social service — and the Labour Office may check how it is used. Technology at home does not replace it, and technology does not replace people. But for a family providing care it can be a big relief to know between visits that the day went as usual, and to get a message when it didn't — for example when nothing has moved anywhere in the flat by the usual morning hour.