Labour Ministry Plans Higher Amounts for Assistance in Material Need as of 2026

Bratislava, 27 October (TASR) - The amounts related to providing assistance in material need in Slovakia could increase as of January next year, as proposed by a draft measure prepared by the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry that is currently under interdepartmental review, TASR reported on Monday. Higher amounts could apply to material-need benefit, protective and activation allowances, allowance for a dependent child and housing allowance. "The proposed measure adjusts the amounts for assistance in material need by multiplying them by the same coefficient that was applied when the subsistence minimum was increased as of 1 July 2025 - that is, by 1.037," states the ministry's explanatory report. As of January 2026, the material-need benefit per individual could increase to €89.70 per month. For an individual with one to four children, the benefit could rise to €170.60, or €249.10 in the case of more than four children. For a couple without children, the monthly amount could rise to €155.90, while for those with one to four children it could go up to €233.20, with those with more than four children receiving €314.40. Protective allowance might rise to €91.70 per month. Activation allowance could reach €183.30 per month for a household member with an employment income agreed at least at the level of the minimum wage, while for those engaged in education and training it would come in at €137.50, and for those taking part in minor municipal services it would reach €91.70. The allowance for a dependent child could increase from €24.20 to €25.10, and housing allowance from €97 to €100.60 for a single-member household. jrg/df