In the Czech Republic, housing payments for Ukrainian refugees have been increased since August 1. This measure is connected with the reduction of the period of free accommodation to 90 days for all categories of people with temporary protection. This was reported by uamedia.eu with a link to ukraina.radio.cz.
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Payments have been increased so that refugees can rent housing
From September 1, the rules for providing free housing for people with temporary protection in the Czech Republic will change. If until now free accommodation was provided for the first 150 days, now it is only for 90 days. But the main change is that vulnerable categories of refugees will not have the right to free housing indefinitely. They will also have to leave if 90 days of living at state expense have passed.
After that, they will need to rent separate housing or negotiate payment for accommodation in the same hostels or hotels where the refugees lived for free.
By the beginning of July, about 362 thousand people with temporary protection were registered in the Czech Republic. According to the Ministry of Labor, about 97 thousand Ukrainian refugees receive humanitarian aid. Of these, about 66 thousand are “vulnerable”. These include:
- children and adolescents under 18; students; pregnant women; people over 65; people with disabilities and persons caring for them; persons caring for children under 6 years of age.
Read: Czech Republic launches pilot project for voluntary return of refugees to Ukraine. Details
Thousands of vulnerable refugees have been at risk of becoming homeless since September, as it is difficult to find housing to rent and many lack the means to meet basic needs.
“Due to the fact that from September 1, 2024, foreigners with temporary protection will no longer be able to live free of charge in humanitarian housing, it is necessary for humanitarian aid to adjust the amounts of credited housing costs so that they are able to pay their housing costs. available on the housing market,” says the explanation to the resolution of the Czech government.
What will be the amount of the housing allowance
For some refugees, the housing payment will increase by 1,600 CZK (63 euros), for some – 1000-1200 crowns (39-47 euros).
Refugee households whose income does not exceed the subsistence level plus housing costs calculated by the ministry can count on humanitarian assistance.
Until now, the living allowance for housing registered in a special register was 6,000 crowns (237 euros) per vulnerable person and up to 3,000 crowns (118 euros) for others. In unregistered housing, these amounts have been reduced to 4,800 crowns (189 euros) and 2,400 crowns (95 euros). A maximum of five people in one household can provide the allowance.
In addition to this, there is a subsistence minimum of 4,860 crowns (192 euros) per adult and 3,490 crowns (138 euros) per child. Humanitarian aid is the difference between the amount calculated in this way and the household income.
Read: The Czech Republic will pay Ukrainian refugees to return home
Since August, payments for housing, which is part of humanitarian assistance to refugees, have increased to 6,000 crowns per month for vulnerable categories and to 4,000 crowns for everyone else. In this case, it will no longer matter whether the housing is included in the register or not.
The increase in payments will mean that now an “invulnerable” refugee in unregistered housing will receive 1,600 CZK more per month, a vulnerable one from unregistered housing will receive 1,600 CZK more per month. 1200 CZK more. In registered housing, the amount for everyone will increase by 1,000 CZK, but for the vulnerable it will not change, because they already receive 6,000 CZK.
At the same time, the Ombudsman and a consortium of 17 organizations working with migrants believe that that such an increase in payments is not enough, because it will not solve the problems with rental housing. It is also noted that social assistance for housing provided for Czech citizens is significantly higher.
- Refugees Countries