What benefits are you entitled to in the event of death of a relative? Who will pay the benefits?

When can I apply for benefits?

You may apply for a Funeral Grant (príspevok na pohreb) at the local Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family according to the temporary stay or permanent residence of the deceased if:

• you are arranging the funeral;
• you are permanently or temporarily resident in Slovakia;
• the deceased permanently or temporarily was resident in Slovakia at the time of death.

The amount of Funeral Grant is €79.67.

A dependent child is entitled to an orphan's pension in the event of the death of a parent or an adoptive parent who was a recipient of old-age pension or disability pension at the time of death, who was entitled to early old-age pension or had sufficiently long pension insurance to become eligible for disability pension at the time of death, or has qualified for the old age pension or who died as a result of an accident at work or occupational disease.

A dependent child (legal guardian of a child under 15 years of age) may claim an Orphan's Pension (sirotský dôchodok) at the relevant branch of the Social Insurance Agency.

The entitlement to widow/widower’s pension (vdovský/vdovecký dôchodok) arises to a surviving spouse who:

• received old-age pension, disability pension at the time of death or was entitled to early old-age pension, or
• fulfilled the conditions to become eligible for old-age pension at the time of death, or
• fulfilled the conditions stipulating the number of years of pension insurance required for the entitlement to disability pension, or
• died as a result of an accident at work or occupational disease.

The entitlement to widow/widower's pension and its payment arises on the date of the spouse's death, provided the survivor claims the pension.

If the person who died due to a work injury or an occupational disease had been assigned by a court as your custodian, you are entitled to the Survivor´s injuries rent provided from the accident insurance.

If your spouse died due to a work injury or an occupational disease, you are entitled also to the lump–sum settlement from the accident insurance. This applies also to your dependent child.

You may claim the reimbursement of funeral expenses from occupational injury insurance if the aggrieved died in consequence of an occupational injury or disease and provided that you have paid the funeral expenses.

If the deceased was an old-age pensioner from the 2^nd pillar and received life annuity for less than 84 monthly payments, the survivors receive the remaining amount due.

What conditions do I have to meet?

You may apply for a Funeral Grant in writing by submitting the Funeral Grant Application. The application will be issued and confirmed by the register office and the funeral service. The death certificate should be appended to the application.

When applying for an orphan's pension(after completing compulsory education), you need to demonstrate that you are a dependent child and that you are continuously preparing for your future occupation. You will submit a certificate of study containing information about the commencement and presumed completion of your studies.

When studying abroad, the certificate of study is examined based on the decision of the Centre for Recognition of Diplomas of the Ministry of Education. When studying in an EU Member State, EEA, Switzerland or the UK* at a university listed among recognized universities, you do not need to apply for the recognition of your studies at the Ministry of Education. Such studies are considered equal to a study programme at a university in Slovakia.

The entitlement to the payment of an orphan's pension ceases on the day on which the beneficiary is no longer a dependent child, i.e. upon the completion of studies, if a student. The entitlement to the payment of orphan's pension will be renewed from the date on which the individual once again becomes a dependent child. The entitlement to the payment of orphan's pension ceases also upon the adoption of a dependent child. If the adoption is reversed, the entitlement to orphan's pension is renewed.

The entitlement to orphan's pension ceases at all times upon reaching the age of 26 years.

Payments of orphan's pension will be discontinued from the pension payday following the date on which these circumstances have arisen (e.g. the individual reached the age of 26 or completed his/her studies).

Proceedings concerning the granting of widow/widower's pension commence upon the submission of a written application by the applicant.

The following documents should be appended to the application:

• Valid identity document (identity card or passport);
• Marriage certificate and/or extract from the record of marriages;
• Death certificate of the spouse and marriage certificate if the applicant is a foreign national or if the event occurred abroad.
• Certificate of completed education of the deceased spouse (vocational certificate, general certificate of education, diploma, etc.) or a certificate from a school confirming the dates the studies not completed in the prescribed manner started and ended;
• Military service book or another document issued by the competent military administration;
• Children's birth certificates.

The application should also be accompanied with documents pertaining to the deceased spouse:

• Certificate documenting all periods of unemployment and/or periods when the spouse received unemployment benefits;
• Credible document (namely registered certificate of pension insurance, employer's certificate, etc. - also from employers abroad) confirming the period of employment.

The entitlement to the payment of widow/widower's pension exists for a period of 2 years from the death of the spouse. After the expiry of 2 years, the entitlement continues only if the surviving spouse fulfils any of the following conditions:

• the surviving spouse cares for at least one dependent child who is entitled to orphan's pension as a survivor of the deceased or was raised in the family of the deceased;
• is disabled due to his/her reduced capacity to perform gainful activity by more than 70%;
• raised at least three children;
• reached the age of 52 and raised two children;
• reached the retirement age;
• reaches 57 years of age and raised 2 children.

If the entitlement of the surviving spouse to the payment of widow/widower's pension ceases because s/he no longer fulfils the condition of caring for a dependent child or is no longer disabled due to his/her reduced capacity to perform gainful activity by more than 70% and, after some time, s/he once again meets any of these conditions, the entitlement to the payment of widow/widower's pension will be renewed.

* Each case needs to be assessed individually to determine whether a person falls within the scope of Art 30 of the Withdrawal Agreement, and so the EU Coordination Regulations apply, or whether they fall within the scope of situations described in Art 32 of the Withdrawal Agreement and/or come under domestic legislation and the Protocol on Social Security Coordination attached to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

What benefits can I apply for and how should I exercise my rights?

You may claim a funeral grant by submitting an application to the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family.

The entitlement to an orphan's pension is claimed in person by a child who is over 15 years of age and legally competent. Applications for an orphan's pension on behalf of orphans under the age of 15 and/or not legally competent are filed by their legal guardian at the relevant branch of the Social Insurance Agency (according to the place of permanent residence).

The entitlement to widow/widower's pension may be claimed at the relevant branch of the Social Insurance Agency (according to the place of permanent residence).

If you are temporarily dwelling elsewhere than at the place of your permanent residence and your health condition does not allow you to submit an application at the competent branch according to your place of permanent residence, the application may be processed by the competent branch office according to your place of temporary residence. When you do not permanently reside in Slovakia, the application will be processed by the headquarters of the Social Insurance Agency.

Orphan's and widow/widower's pensions are paid in advance on a regular monthly basis either to the beneficiary's bank account or in cash at the post office.

The pay day is determined by the Social Insurance Agency.

Widow/widower's pension is equal to 60% of the designated amount; orphan's pension is equal to 40% of the designated amount.

Should entitlements to the payment of widow/widower's pension and orphan's pension(s) arise to the survivors of the same deceased insured person, the aggregate sum of these pensions cannot exceed 100% of the pension of the deceased, to which the deceased was or could have been entitled at the time of death.

Injury annuity benefit is paid throughout the existence of the maintenance obligation. You may claim your entitlement at the relevant branch of the Social Insurance Agency (according to the place of permanent residence).

Jargon busters

• A child raised in the family of the deceased: The surviving spouse’s own or adoptive child who was entrusted to the care of the surviving spouse or the deceased spouse during the existence of marriage based on a decision of the competent authority on entrusting the child to care replacing parental care.
• Child upbringing: The raising of a child from his/her birth until adulthood (i.e. until the age of 18 and/or until the child's marriage if the chid marries at an early age).

Required documents

• Funeral grant application
• Widow/widower's pension or orphan's pension application

Know your rights

Link to additional information provided by the European Commission:

• Your social benefit entitlements as an EU citizen in the event of death of a relative

Who do you need to contact for advice about social security?

Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (Ústredie práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny)
Department of Assistance in Material Need and State Social Benefits
Špitálska 8, 812 67, Bratislava

Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (Úrad práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny)
Unit of Citizen´s Services
Unit of Assistance in Material Need and State Social Benefits

List of Offices of Labour, Social Affairs and Family

Social Insurance Agency (Sociálna poisťovňa)
Phone: +421 800 123 123

At any Social Insurance Agency branch, the Information and Consulting Centre at the headquarters of the Social Insurance.