People can check whether they are entitled to state support in housing benefits following energy price rises. On Friday, Labour and Social Affairs Minister Marian Jurečka (KDU-ČSL) presented a web calculator where people can calculate the allowance amount.
The Kalkulačka is available at energetickyprispevek.cz, where people can determine whether and how much they can be compensated for the increased costs after filling in the amount of income, household data, and type of housing.
“We have decided to go down the route of targeted, concrete help, namely the housing allowance. We have increased the norms, and for 2022 we have made it possible for the government to adjust the norms if necessary, ” Jurečka said.
Labour offices will inform their clients about the support. In February, the Czech Social Security Administration should start sending letters to people with pensions.
It is also possible to get one-off support
Owners of flats or permanently reported tenants, subtenants, and people in approved recreational buildings who do not have enough to pay for adequate housing (35 percent of their income in Prague and 30 percent elsewhere) are entitled to a housing allowance. The levy corresponds to the difference between the expenditure up to the state normative costs and 0.3 times or 0.35 times the income.
Parliament has already approved an amendment that raises the normative rates once this year to increase the allowance and reflect the increase in prices. The law still needs to be signed by the President. According to Jurecka, the signature is expected in the next few days, and the amendment could be published in the collection of laws next week.
It should also help with the emergency aid benefit. However, it can only be obtained by people in severe hardship without resources. Officials assess the income and assets of the applicant himself and those of other family members.
The Ministry of Labour has relaxed the conditions because of the impact of the epidemic and the end of energy suppliers. People’s mortgage or lease payments will also count towards their expenses. They may also have smaller savings. The amount saved cannot exceed twice the household’s subsistence level and twice the cost of living.