Accommodation Allowance for Refugees in Slovakia: Conditions and Amounts
The accommodation allowance scheme (príspevok za ubytovanie odídenca) is a state payment to people who provide housing free of charge to those holding temporary protection status. Here is who receives the money, how much it is and how to apply.
One important point up front: the government extends the scheme in stages, and the conditions have already changed several times. Always check the current status on the website of the Slovak Ministry of the Interior — there is a link at the end of this article.
Who receives the payment
The key point that many people get wrong: the allowance goes not to the refugee but to the person who provided the housing free of charge. The following are entitled to the payment:
- A private individual — the owner of residential property who has housed a person with odídenec status free of charge.
- A legal entity providing free short-term accommodation in a non-residential building that it owns or manages. The condition is that the organisation is not in the hotel business.
- A municipality or region housing people directly or through its own organisations.
The condition that applies to everyone is that the housing is provided free of charge. If you charge the occupant rent, you have no right to the allowance.
How much is paid
The basic rate is about €5 per night per person housed. For legal entities and organisations the calculation is based on the number of habitable rooms, with amounts of roughly €390 to €900 a month.
The rates and upper limits have changed with every extension of the scheme, so check the exact figure for the current month with your town or village office.
How to apply
- Sign an accommodation agreement (zmluva o poskytnutí ubytovania odídencovi) with the person you are housing. Without the agreement there is no payment.
- Submit an application to the local authority — the obecný or mestský úrad for the area where the property is located.
- Submit a monthly report on the actual number of nights of accommodation. The deadlines are strict, and being late means losing the payment for that period.
- Wait for the transfer. The money arrives in your account, usually a few weeks after the report is submitted.
What is needed from the occupant
The person housed must have valid temporary protection status and a document confirming it. If the status has not been extended, entitlement to the allowance for that period is lost — so property owners should keep an eye on the deadlines together with their occupants.
Tax on the allowance
A question that often comes up for owners: the accommodation allowance is treated as income and may be taxable depending on your situation and status. This is a case where it is worth spending an hour with an accountant — a mistake will cost you more.
Frequently asked questions
Can you receive the allowance and charge rent as well?
No. The scheme is specifically for accommodation provided free of charge. Combining the two means losing entitlement to the payment.
I rent my flat — can I house acquaintances there and receive the allowance?
The right to the allowance belongs to the owner of the property. A tenant, as a rule, cannot be the applicant.
What should you do if the payment is delayed?
Contact the office where you submitted the report. Delays of a few weeks are normal, but if the silence goes on longer it is worth requesting an update in writing.
How long does the scheme run for?
The dates are extended by government decisions and are not permanent. Check the current date on the official website — it changes more often than any article can keep up with.
Official sources
The conditions, application forms and current deadlines are on the page Slovak Ministry of the Interior on the accommodation allowance. General information on the Lex Ukrajina regime is on the ministries’ websites.
Also useful on this topic are our complete guide to moving to Slovakia and our overview of ways to find work.
Important. The information in this article has been gathered from public sources online and is accurate at the time of publication. The conditions of the scheme, the amounts paid and the period it runs for are changed regularly by government decisions. Before submitting documents, check the current conditions on the official website of the Slovak Ministry of the Interior or at your local authority and, especially on tax questions, consult a relevant specialist — an accountant or a tax adviser.