This chapter gives a general description of the Swiss social assistance intended to ensure a living for people in need and to promote their economic and personal independence.

Benefits covered in this chapter:

• Lump sum for subsistence
• Benefits based on your circumstances

In what situation can I claim?

The federal constitution of the Swiss confederation lays down the right to obtain assistance in situations of need in order to lead a dignified human existence. Social assistance, the last safety net of social protection, comes under the responsibility of the 26 cantons. Its implementation is generally delegated to the municipalities.

However, the Swiss conference of social action institutions (CSIAS) recommendations contribute to a certain level of harmonisation for these benefits. These can be applied by the cantons. The benefits recommended by the CSIAS are in particular as follows:

• Lump sum for subsistence: benefits to cover your everyday life expenses (food, clothing, transportation...) if you are part of a low-income household. Your housing costs are paid separately.
• Benefits based on your circumstances: they take into account your state of heath and your financial, personal and family situation. On the one hand, they make it possible to grant social assistance on an individual basis and according to need and, on the other hand, to link the granting of particular means to certain objectives.

For information about the benefits in each canton, please refer to the list and financial statistics of social assistance in a wider sense.

What conditions do I need to meet?

In general, social assistance benefits are means-tested. As they are financed by taxes, they are not dependent on whether or not you have paid contributions.

Lump sum for subsistence

This benefit is for people in need living in Switzerland in a private household and who are capable of keeping it.

Benefits based on your circumstances

There are two types of benefits based on your circumstances:

• benefits based on your circumstances to cover basic needs. Some costs arise only in certain situations; they should be covered if they form part of the basic needs coverage of the household. Examples: costs of childcare, additional costs for purchases and activities required by the school or place of training;
• benefits based on your circumstances with an incentive objective. Some expenses are useful but not compulsory. They may be covered if they serve the purposes of social assistance.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Lump sum for subsistence

It must cover your basic needs in order to guarantee a dignified human existence (food and drink, clothes and shoes, energy consumption, transport, communications, leisure, personal care, personal equipment, purchase of standard small items, etc.).

The amount of the lump sum is determined by the cantons depending on the number of people in the household.

Each year, the CSIAS publishes the recommended amounts:

Specific conditions apply to young adults (between 18 and 25 years).

Your housing costs are not included in the lump sum for subsistence. Rent (or mortgage payments for people owning their own home) is covered separately.

Benefits based on your circumstances

Social assistance covers recognised and documented costs.

Know your rights

The following links provide additional information about your rights. They are not European Commission sites and do not represent the view of the Commission:

• List and financial statistics of social assistance in a wider sense
• Website of the Swiss conference of social action institutions (CSIAS)

European Commission publications:

• EU Social Security Coordination

Who do you need to contact?

Cantonal and municipal services for social assistance

Applications for social assistance benefits are submitted to the cantonal and municipal services for social assistance.

Refer to the directory of cantonal and municipal authorities.

Swiss conference of social action institutions (CSIAS)

Monbijoustrasse 22

Case postale

3000 Bern 14

Tel. +41 313261919

admin@skos.ch

www.csias.ch