This chapter describes support for persons with disabilities in the Czech Republic. EU nationals are eligible (basically) if they live in the Czech Republic.

Support has two basic forms. The first is support intended directly for persons with disabilities. The second is an allowance paid to employers who create jobs for persons with disabilities.

We will explain how the following benefits work:

• care allowance (příspěvek na péči);
• mobility allowance (příspěvek na mobilitu);
• special aid grant (příspěvek na zvláštní pomůcku);
• identification card/certificate for persons with disabilities (průkaz osoby se zdravotním postižením);
• allowance for creating employment for a person with a disability (příspěvek na zřízení pracovního místa pro osobu se zdravotním postižením).

In what situation can I claim?

These benefits are intended for persons with a disability. These serve as financial support towards an item or service that they need due to their disability. Eligibility is based on a health evaluation.

The care allowance (příspěvek na péči) is specifically for those who depend on the help of others to care for themselves.

The mobility allowance (příspěvek na mobilitu) serves persons with disabilities who are eligible for the certificate of person with disability type ZTP or ZTP/P and transport themselves repeatedly and against payment.

The special aid grant (příspěvek na zvláštní pomůcku) helps those with severe physical, visual or hearing disabilities to pay for aids that help in self-reliance, working activities, education, social contacts.

The identification card/certificate for persons with disabilities (průkaz osoby se zdravotním postižením) is provided in three degrees based on the severity of disability. The identification card is associated with various benefits and privileges, in particular those involving transportation.

The allowance for creating employment for a person with a disability (příspěvek na zřízení pracovního místa pro osobu se zdravotním postižením) is fundamentally different from the previous benefits. The allowance is provided to employers who create jobs for persons with disabilities. The allowance serves as motivation and indirect support to increase the independence of these persons.

What conditions do I need to meet?

Care allowance

Persons over the age of one who require the help of others to ensure their basic needs due to their health are eligible. Such persons may have congenital or acquired disabilities or be elderly who lose their independence as they age.

This is a coordinated benefit within the EU. It is always paid by the Member State in which the person has health insurance.

The required level of assistance and the amount of the allowance is defined by the degree of dependency.

Four degrees are defined:

A person's independence in securing the following basic needs is the basis of evaluating the degree of dependency:

• mobility;
• orientation;
• communication;
• meals;
• dressing;
• personal hygiene;
• performance of physiological needs;
• healthcare;
• personal activities;
• care for the household (evaluated for those over the age of 18).

Mobility allowance

Eligible are persons who:

• are more than one year old;
• have habitual residence in the Czech Republic (residence of at least three months is required for EU nationals and their relatives);
• are the holder of a disability identification card of type two or three;
• repeatedly travel or are using paid transport;
• are not using residential services in facilities for persons with disabilities, the elderly or healthcare facilities.

Special aid grant

The applicant must have habitual residence in the Czech Republic (residence of at least three months is required for EU nationals and their relatives).

The grant is intended for persons with:

• a serious disability of the supporting or musculoskeletal system;
• a serious hearing disability;
• a serious visual disability.
• a serious mental disability – only in case of aid “vehicle” or “special restraint systems”.

The following age thresholds apply:

A special aid is considered any item or modification that enables a person to self-service, find work, study or communicate with others.

A special aid cannot be a medical device that is paid for by a health insurance company or borrowed from a health insurance company.

A list of special aids for which the allowance can be requested is defined by an Annex to the Act on granting benefits to persons with disabilities

Identification card for persons with disabilities

Eligible are disabled persons above one year old with a physical, sensory or mental disability significantly limiting their mobility or orientation.

There are three variants of the identification card based on the level of the long-term disability:

All of them are entitled to a different range of benefits.

Allowance for creating jobs for a person with a disability

Eligible are:

• employers who want to create a job for a person with a disability;
• persons with disabilities who want to go into business as a self-employed person (see Jargon busters).

In both cases the Labour Office (Úřad práce) must be contacted in order to agree on contractual conditions for supporting a job. The employer and self-employed person must agree to maintain this job for at least three years.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Care allowance

The allowance is paid monthly. The amount depends directly on the recognised degree of dependency.

Persons under the age of 18 are entitled to:

For persons over the age of 18:

The person with the disability is the beneficiary, not someone providing assistance. The beneficiary selects and finances the assistance provider.

Such providers may include:

• a close person;
• social care assistant;
• a registered social services provider;
• a children's home;
• a special inpatient hospice-type healthcare establishment.

The allowance can be increased by up to CZK 2,000 above the defined limit. It can be provided in two cases:

• in the case of low-family income (if the person with a disability is a child under 18 or a parent of a child under 18 and the family income is lower than twice the family living minimum);

Mobility allowance

This is a flat-rate benefit of CZK 550. This is paid retroactively for the calendar month. The applicant can select quarterly payments of CZK 1,620.

Special aid allowance

The amount of this allowance depends on the type and price of the aid. Three categories exist.

• aids with a price below CZK 10,000;
• aids with a price above CZK 10,000;
• motor vehicle.

The allowance for an aid with a price below CZK 10,000 is provided to individuals or families with income of less than eight times the living minimum (see Jargon busters). In such a case the applicant pays 10% of the aid, or at least CZK 1,000.

The allowance for an aid with a price above CZK 10,000 is provided regardless of family or individual income. The applicant pays 10% of the aid. The Labour Office may lower the deductible in the case of low income, at least CZK 1,000.

The motor vehicle allowance is defined given the income of individual or family. The minimum amount is CZK 100,000, the maximum amount is CZK 200,000.

The total maximum amount of allowance for an aid is CZK 800,000 within 60 calendar months or CZK 850,000 with respect to a staircase lift.

Identification card for persons with disabilities

This identification card is not connected with any financial benefit. Holders have the right to various advantages.

The holders of all three types are entitled to:

• reserved seating on all public transport;
• priority in the case of meetings conducted in person if extended waiting is required (for instance at offices, does not apply to stores).

Holders of disability identification cards are also entitled to:

• free travel on local public transport;
• a 75% discount on train and long-distance bus fares.

Holders of disability identification cards ZTP/P also are entitled to:

• free travel for their guide on public transport;
• free travel for a guide dog if the guidance is not provided by a person.

Allowance for creating jobs for a person with a disability

An employer or self-employed person with a disability is entitled to partial payment of the operating costs of the job.

These payments are defined individually. They are defined in a contract concluded with the Labour Office. The amount is derived from:

• the national average wage in the previous calendar year;
• the extent of the employee's (or the self-employed person's) disability;
• the number of created jobs.

A list of costs for which support can be requested is defined in a relevant decree.

Where and how to apply

Benefits for a person with a disability can be requested in person or in writing at the Labour Office's regional offices and contact points.

Social workers of the municipal authority with extended jurisdiction at the person's place of residence can also assist a person in this situation.

Jargon busters

• The degree of dependency (stupeň závislosti) defines the extent to which a person with a disability is dependent on the help of another person. This includes a comprehensive evaluation of the applicant's independence. Various benefits and eligibility are derived on the basis of the severity of the disability.
• A job created for a person with a disability (pracovní místo zřízené pro osobu se zdravotním postižením) is a job created by an employer for a person with a disability based on a written agreement concluded with the Labour Office. The state contributes to its maintenance, which increases the motivation of the employer and improves its competitiveness by employing persons with disabilities.
• Self-employed person (osoba samostatně výdělečně činná) is the term used for a person with income from business or other self-employment (private farmer, trade licence holder or artist).
• The living minimum (životní minimum) is the socially recognised minimum level of cash income for food and other basic needs.

Forms you may need

• Application for the care allowance (Žádost o příspěvek na péči), includes the application forms for modifying and increasing this allowance (in Czech);
• Mobility allowance application (Žádost o příspěvek na mobilitu) (in Czech);
• Application for the special aid allowance (Žádost o příspěvek na zvláštní pomůcku) (in Czech);
• Application to grant a disability identification card to a person with a disability (Žádost o přiznání průkazu osoby se zdravotním postižením) (in Czech).

Know your rights

These links do not lead to European Commission websites and do not represent the views of the European Commission:

• UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;
• Act on Social Services 108/2006 (Zákon o sociálních službách) (in Czech);
• Act on Providing Benefits to Persons with Disabilities 329/2011 (Zákon o poskytování dávek osobám se zdravotním postižením) (in Czech);
• Information on benefits for people with disabilities from the official Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs website (in English).

European Commission publications and websites:

• http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=849&langId=en 

Useful contacts

Labour Office of the Czech Republic (Úřad práce České republiky)
Contact counselling centre:
Tel. +420 844844803
kontaktni.centrum@mpsv.cz, callcentrum@mpsv.cz

List of the Labour Office's regional offices and contact points (in Czech): https://www.uradprace.cz/web/cz/kontakty-2

Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic (Ministerstvo práce a sociálních věcí ČR)
Na Poříčním právu 1/376
128 01 Prague 2
CZECH REPUBLIC
Tel. +420 221921111
Data box: sc9aavg

Website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic in English

Czech National Disability Council (Národní rada osob se zdravotním postižením)
Partyzánská 7
170 00 Prague 7
CZECH REPUBLIC
Tel. +420 777864248
http://www.nrzp.cz/