Housing allowance

Hlavní informace

The housing allowance is intended for an owner of a dwelling, a person who uses a whole dwelling on the basis of a right of use (an obligation in rem) or a tenant or subtenant of a dwelling, if:

1. their housing costs exceed 30% of the family’s decisive (net) income, and also
2. this 30% of the family’s decisive (net) income is not higher than the standard housing costs.

For 2022 and 2023, the owner of a building intended for individual or family recreation is also considered to be the owner of the dwelling for the purposes of the housing allowance if that owner uses it as a permanent dwelling.

Týká se vás to pokud

You are the owner of a dwelling, you use the whole dwelling under a right of use agreement, or you are a tenant or subtenant of an approved dwelling, the owner of a building for recreation if you use it as a permanent dwelling (applies only for 2022 and 2023) and the housing costs exceed 30% of the family's decisive (net) income.

Clarification of certain terms

• The owner of the dwelling is also considered to be the owner of the property in which the dwelling that the owner uses is located.
• A spouse who occupies the dwelling on the basis of a right of residence derived from the ownership right of the other spouse is also considered to be the owner of the dwelling, unless the other spouse claims the housing allowance as the owner of the dwelling.
• Both spouses are considered tenants if they have a joint tenancy.
• For the purposes of entitlement to the housing allowance, the duration of the tenancy relationship shall include the period from termination of membership of the housing cooperative until the expiry of the deadline for vacating the dwelling, the period from the death of the tenant of a service residence or special purpose residence until the expiry of the deadline for vacating the dwelling, and the period from the permanent abandonment of the service residence or special purpose residence by the tenant until the expiry of the deadline for vacating the residence.
• Each person can only be considered for one dwelling in a given month. If a person changes their place of residence (moves) during a calendar month, this change is only taken into account for housing allowance purposes from the following calendar month.
• A dwelling means a set of rooms or a separate living room whose structural and technical arrangement and equipment meets the requirements of permanent housing and is designated for this purpose of use under the Building Act or is approved as a dwelling.
• The allowance is granted subject to family income and housing cost tests.
• A family is considered to mean parents and dependent minor children, spouses, partners, parents and independent minor children, parents and adult children if they use a dwelling with their parents and are not assessed with other persons, as well as other persons who share the dwelling, with the exception of persons who demonstrate that they do not live together on a permanent basis and do not cover the costs of their needs.
• Jointly assessed persons are considered to be parents and dependent minor children, spouses, partners, parents and independent minor children, parents and adult children if they use a dwelling with their parents and are not assessed with other persons, as well as other persons who share the dwelling, with the exception of persons who demonstrate that they do not live together on a permanent basis and do not cover the costs of their needs.

Kdy službu řešit

You apply once, and continue to be eligible for the housing allowance for subsequent calendar quarters, as long as you subsequently document your quarterly housing costs and family income for the previous calendar quarter in relation to quarters requiring documentation.

With effect from 1 October 2022, you have the option to provide proof of your quarterly housing costs and quarterly family income just twice a year, and the housing allowance will be paid for 6 months. It is mandatory to provide proof of the family's housing costs and income for the first and third quarters of the given calendar year (to determine eligibility for the housing allowance in the second and fourth quarters). You have the option to submit additional proof of the family’s housing costs and income for the fourth and second quarters (to qualify for the housing allowance in the first and third quarters, you must submit these by 31 January and 31 July, respectively) if you believe that your housing costs or family income have increased or decreased in the quarter for which the optional proof is submitted and this may affect your eligibility for a higher housing allowance.

The right to payment of the benefit arises on the day the application is submitted, and you can claim this right for a maximum of 3 months retrospectively.

Vyřízení služby

Co potřebujete pokud službu řešíte

When submitting a housing allowance application, you need to fill in the Housing Allowance Application form.

Please attach to the application:

The identity card for all listed persons or the birth certificate for children under 15 years of age or if the identity card does not state the maiden name.

Proof of quarterly income for each of the jointly assessed persons who have stated that they have an income. Mandatory for the first and third calendar quarters, optional for the second and fourth quarters.

Declaration by persons without an income qualifying for the benefit, if the application indicates that they do not have an income.

Declaration by persons who do not cover the costs of their needs together with the claimant, if the application indicates that they do not cover common costs (valid from 1 July 2020).

For the duration of entitlement to the benefit, each of the jointly assessed persons must submit the relevant document by the end of the first month of the quarter for which they are demonstrating entitlement to the benefit.

Proof of maintenance provided by a jointly assessed person, if any of the jointly assessed persons received income in the decisive period as part of the maintenance obligation under the Family Act or similar payments provided from abroad and the provider of this income is also a jointly assessed person.

Proof that the dwelling is used on the basis of a lease or sublease agreement or on the basis of ownership of the property or use of the dwelling on the basis of an right of use agreement.

Proof of housing costs for the dwelling for which the housing allowance is being applied for, with payments for rent, services and energy, including the settlement of advance payments, if such settlement falls within the calendar quarter for which the housing costs are being demonstrated.

Proof of housing costs for the dwelling must be submitted for the first and third calendar quarters, and is optional for the second and fourth quarters.

Confirmation of a dependent child – for dependent children after the end of compulsory schooling and always from the school year beginning in the calendar year in which the child reached the age of 15. Proof of the child’s dependency must be provided by one of the following certificates: 

proof that the child is studying,

proof of the state of health of a dependent child,

confirmation of inability to systematically prepare for a future profession or to perform a gainful activity due to illness or injury

confirmation of inclusion in the Labour Office records of jobseekers after the end of compulsory schooling until 18 years of age, or

a decision to interrupt higher education due to pregnancy, childbirth or parenthood.

Additional information about the persons included in the housing allowance application, if it is possible to create multiple groups of jointly assessed persons in one household (valid from 1 July 2020).

The employment contract or confirmation of receipt of unemployment benefits if the claimant or one of the jointly assessed persons is a citizen of another EU Member State and did not have permanent residence in the Czech Republic on the date on which the application was submitted, or 365 days have not elapsed between the date of their application for residence in the Czech Republic and the date from which the benefit is claimed.

Proof of residence in the Czech Republic, for over 365 days, if the claimant or a jointly assessed person is not a citizen of the Czech Republic.

Kde a jak službu řešit

Applications should be submitted at the contact point of the Labour Office of the Czech Republic under which you are registered as a permanent resident. Details of individual contact points can be found on the website of the Labour Office of the Czech Republic in the Regional branches section.

Doplňující informace

Jaký má služba benefit

The allowance will help you finance high housing costs (i.e. if your housing costs exceed 30% of the family’s decisive income).

Možnosti odvolání

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the housing allowance procedure, you can appeal against the decision within 15 days of receiving that decision. Submit your appeal with the regional branch of the Labour Office of the Czech Republic that decided on the benefit. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs will then decide on your appeal.