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Factsheet for measure SK-2022-23/2812 – measures in Slovakia

Income support for informal caregivers

Podpora príjmov neformálnych opatrovateľov

Country Slovakia , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 01 June 2022 – 31 December 2022
Context COVID-19, War in Ukraine
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category N/A
– Increasing income in general
Author Rastislav Bednarik, IVPR
Measure added 08 September 2022 (updated 11 October 2022)

Background information

To mitigate the consequences of high inflation and to cover increased expenses for housing, energy, food, etc., in May 2022 the government paid special benefits for several groups of residents, including informal caregivers (relatives). It was based on Government Regulation (dated 11 May 2022) No. 159/2022 Coll. See also the case Support for Substitute Child Care . The government also supported caregivers in the form of another Government Regulation 213/2022 Coll., which increases the monthly cash allowance for caregiving for various categories of caregivers from 1 July 2022.

Content of measure

In June 2022, a special benefit of €100 was paid to each informal carer. As of 1 July 2022, the monthly allowances for various groups of informal caregivers have increased. The Attendance Service Benefit is available: previously €508.44, now €525.65 per month if only one person receives home care and previously €676.22, now €699.15 per month if two or more persons receive care. The total increase of these benefits for these persons is €3.524 million in 2022 and €8.644 million in 2023.

The (means-tested) benefit is paid directly to the carer. If the carer is a pensioner, the benefit is not means-tested and is provided as a flat-rate sum amounting to: €262.85 (an increase of €8.53) per month if only one person receives home care and €349.60 (increase by €11.49) per month if two or more persons receive home care. The total increase of these benefits for these persons is €1.031 million in 2022 and €2.529 million in 2023

Use of measure

An ad hoc benefit of €100 was paid to 63,600 informal carers, for a total of €6.4 million. The number of care allowance recipients in 2022 is an average of 40,501 recipients of working age per month and 23,786 recipients of pension benefits. The government estimates the cost of increasing the care allowance in 2022 to €4.556 million, in 2023 to €11.173 million, in 2024 to €11.429 million and in 2025 to €11.683 million.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Does not apply to businesses Other groups of citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role No involvement No involvement
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

The social partners were not involved in the designing and implementation of the measure to provide an ad-hoc benefit of €100 for informal caregivers. But it was discussed in the media in general about the need for help for various groups of the population due to the increase in inflation.

Social partners were involved in the designing and implementing the measure for increasing aid for informal caregivers in the form of negotiations at the Economic and Social Council (a tripartite body) on 23 May 2022. The social partners took note of the government's proposal and agreed without comments.

Views and reactions

Only the Joint Trade Unions of Slovakia (SOS) suggests that for the future a discussion regarding the cumulation receipt of the pension benefit and cash allowance for care should be opened in a short time, while their cumulation receipt without mutual offset would be allowed.

Sources

  • 11 May 2022: Nariadenie vlády 159/2022 Z.z., ktorým sa novelizuje nariadenie vlády Slovenskej republiky č. 102/2020 Z. z (www.slov-lex.sk)
  • 08 June 2022: Nariadenie vlády z 8.6.2022 číslo 213/2022 Z.z. ktorým sa ustanovuje výška sadzby na jednu hodinu osobnej asistencie a výška peňažného príspevku na opatrovanie (www.slov-lex.sk)

Citation

Eurofound (2022), Income support for informal caregivers, measure SK-2022-23/2812 (measures in Slovakia), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/SK-2022-23_2812.html

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Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.