In a significant move to address housing insecurity, the Czech government has approved an increase in the income threshold for housing assistance. The support measures will now be available to households with incomes below 1.6 times the subsistence minimum, up from the previous 1.43 multiplier. Labor Minister Marian Jurečka announced the change, which aims to prevent approximately one-third of people in housing need from losing access to support.
The Platform for Social Housing has welcomed the increase, though they note that the change only partially remedies the situation. The organization is calling on coalition politicians to also adjust the basis for income calculation. According to Minister Jurečka, an estimated 300,000 to 350,000 households could theoretically qualify for housing assistance, accompaniment services, or other forms of support under the new threshold.
The original 1.43 multiplier was proposed by MP Jiří Havránek (ODS) in parliament. The ministries of labor and regional development prepared the amendment, stating that the initial setting was too restrictive. However, even with the raised limit, individuals with incomes just above the minimum wage or households with members earning more than half the minimum wage will still not qualify for support measures.
The regulation will extend eligibility to working individuals living in unsuitable conditions, including single working mothers living in hostels, seniors with pensions over 10,000 crowns, and people with third-degree disability pensions. The contact point for housing will request verification from the labor office, which will assess household income and assets. If the residual income does not exceed 1.6 times the subsistence minimum, the applicant will be added to the housing support registry.
Officials have emphasized that the adjustment to the income threshold will not increase budget expenditures, as the regulation does not change the number of available housing units for people in housing need. The regulation with the 1.6 multiplier is set to take effect from mid-2026, while the subsistence minimum amounts will be adjusted this October.