Living and Subsistence Minimum

in force from 1 January 2023

Definition of Living and Subsistence Minimum

• Living Minimum is a socially recognized minimum level of income to ensure sustenance and other basic personal needs.
• Subsistence Minimum is a minimum level of income, which is considered to be necessary to ensure sustenance and other basic personal needs at a level allowing the individual to survive. In addition to Living Minimum, the Institute of Subsistence Minimum is introduced in order to increase motivation of adults in material need. Subsistence Minimum cannot be used for dependent children, the recipients of an old-age pension, for disabled persons at the third level and for persons over the age of 68.

Legislation and the main use

• Living and Subsistence Minimum is regulated by the Act No. 110/2006 Coll., on Living and Subsistence Minimum.
• The valid amounts of Living and Subsistence Minimum are set by the Government Decree No. 436/2022 Coll. on indexation of Living Minimum and Subsistence Minimum amounts.
• The main use of Living and Subsistence Minimum is in the Act No. 111/2006 Coll., on Assistance in Material Need. Living Minimum performs a decisive role in assessing of material need and also as a social-protection variable.

Housing Costs

• Living Minimum and Subsistence Minimum do not include the necessary Housing Costs.
• Housing needs are solved separately, through Housing Allowance in the State Social Support system and through Supplement for Housing in the system of Assistance in Material Need.

Living and Subsistence Minimum

(monthly in CZK)

Living Minimum (Životní minimum)

Single	4 860
First person in household	4 470
Second and other persons who are not a dependant child	4 040
Dependant child aged
under 6 years	2 480
6 - 15 years	3 050
15 - 26 years	3 490

Subsistence Minimum (Existenční minimum)

Subsistence Minimum

3 130

Examples - Living Minimum (monthly in CZK) for

Single person household	4 860
2 adults	4 470 + 4 040 = 8 510
1 adult with one child aged 5 years	4 470 + 2 480 = 6 950
2 adults with one child aged 5 years	4 470 + 4 040 + 2 480 = 10 990
2 adults with 2 children aged 8 and 16 years	4 470 + 4 040 + 3 050 + 3 490 = 15 050
2 adults with 3 children aged 5, 8 and 16 years	4 470 + 4 040 + 2 480+ 3 050 + 3 490 = 17 530

The government is authorized to increase the amounts of Living and Subsistence Minimum on January 1 if growth of consumer price index for sustenance and personal needs reaches at least 5 %. In the case of extraordinary circumstances the amounts can be indexed sooner.