Cash Assistance 2022

In order to support Ukrainian families, stateless persons and third country nationals affected by the war in Ukraine, UNHCR and UNICEF in cooperation with the Slovak Government will provide a one-time emergency cash transfer for winter expenses, such as blankets, winter clothes and shoes, meals, utilities, etc.

Every registered refugee [odidenec] who has up-to-date information in UNHCR database will receive the Winter Cash Assistance automatically and does not need to approach the registration sites.

It will be a one-time payment of 150 EUR per person, with a maximum of 400 EUR per family.

You only need to approach one of the UNHCR registration sites by 11 November 2022 if:

• you have received financial assistance from UNHCR and UNICEF in Slovakia, but have never come to any of the registration sites in person,
OR
• your personal details, payment details (bank IBAN number) or telephone number are not up to date. In case of doubt, please approach one of the registration sites.

Newly arrived refugees [odidenec] can also register with UNHCR until 11 November 2022 as long as they fall under the following eligibility criteria:

• Ukrainian nationals, stateless persons or third country nationals who fled Ukraine and entered Slovakia on or after 24 February 2022 (at least one member of the nuclear family must have fled on or after this date),
AND
• who hold the Temporary Protection status [odidenec] or applied for asylum in Slovakia.

Please note that children must be present at registration. 

Note: Families who are registered with Red Cross are not eligible to register with UNHCR.

Additional official information will be posted on this Telegram channel. Please share it further.

Locations can be found here.

For more information on the UNHCR support to Ukrainian families with one-time assistance for winter needs, you can find more details on this poster: UNHCR_UNICEF Winterization Support_ENG_

On 13 September 2022, the Slovak Central Office of Labor, Social Affairs and Family published an official press release clarifying some of the key aspects of the provision of financial assistance to Ukrainian refugees [odidenec]. UNHCR is pleased to provide you with unofficial translation of excerpts of the press release into Ukrainian/Russian/English.

“(…) For those [odidenec] who are in need and who meet the specified criteria, financial assistance in the form of benefits in material need will again be paid out by the State, namely by the Offices of Labor, Social Affairs, and Family [urad prace], as of October (pursuant to Government Regulation No. 294/2022).

Offices of Labor, Social Affairs, and Family [urad prace] will work with three categories of clients:

• Refugees [odidenec] who have already received assistance in material need from the Office of Labor, Social Affairs and Family should visit the Labor Office [urad prace] in their place of residence in September, and no later than 7 October 2022.
• Refugees [odidenec] who received financial assistance exclusively from UNHCR should visit the Labour Office [urad prace] in their place of residence by 30 September 2022.
• Refugees [odidenec] who have not received financial assistance from UNHCR, and who wish to apply for assistance in material need and were granted a tolerated stay (temporary refuge) in September 2022, should visit the Labor Office [urad prace] in their place of residence as soon as possible.

(…)

“Important information:

1. In the next few days, refugees [odidenec] from Ukraine will receive an SMS message in Slovak and English from the Central Office of Labor, Social Affairs and Family with a recommended date for visiting the Labor Office [urad prace] in their place of residence. In the event that they are unable to visit the Labor Office at the specified date, it is possible to do so until the end of September (refugees to whom the Labor Office has already paid the allowance in material need can visit the Labor Office until 7 October 2022).
2. In the event that refugees [odidenec] from Ukraine do not receive an SMS message (e.g. due to missing data or a change of a telephone number) and are interested in receiving the benefit in material need, they can visit the respective Labor Office [urad prace] at any time until 30 September (refugees who have already been receiving the benefit in material need from the Labor Offices can visit the office until 7 October 2022).
3. It is sufficient if the applicant for a benefit in material need visits the Labor Office [urad prace] without other household members.
4. In Bratislava, all refugees [odidenec] from Ukraine will be attended to in the premises of the Large Capacity Assistance Center at Bottová 7.
5. Refugees [odidenec] who will not visit the Labor Office [urad prace], who have found employment or do not meet other conditions for receiving the benefit, will not be entitled to the benefit.”

(…)

Refugees [odidenec] from Ukraine are entitled to assistance in material need to the same extent and under the same conditions as citizens of the Slovak Republic. The application for the entitlement of assistance in material need is submitted by a refugee [odidenec] to the Labour Office [urad prace] in territorial jurisdiction where s/he lives. When it comes to the household members, only persons located in the territory of the Slovak Republic will be considered. Children of refugees from Ukraine can continue to receive subsidies for school supplies and food under the same conditions as children of Slovak citizens. (…)”

Full press release in Slovak can be accessed under this link:

https://www.upsvr.gov.sk/media/medialne-spravy/stat-usetril-vdaka-medzinarodnym-organizaciam-pri-pomoci-odidencom-zukrajiny-viac-ako-11-milionov-eur.html?lang=sk&page_id=1212101

UNHCR has received many questions about the modalities of cash assistance for refugees administered by Labor Offices across Slovakia. In cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, UNHCR together with UNICEF, IOM and the Red Cross developed answers to frequently asked questions about the Slovak Government’s cash assistance scheme. We at UNHCR hope that it will help you answer many of your questions.

For more information on the Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ Transition of Material Needs Assistance to Ministry of Labour Social Affairs and Family, you can find more details on this poster: FAQ Transition of Material Needs Assistance to MoLSAF_ENG

In order to support back to learning for Ukrainian children in Slovakia, UNICEF in collaboration with UNHCR supports the Government of the Slovak Republic to provide emergency cash transfers aimed to facilitate access to learning and childcare for children from 0 to 17 years old.

This assistance will be delivered by UNICEF to the Ukrainian refugees’ families, who registered their child, children via UNHCR, so no additional registration is needed.

This cash assistance is directed to parents to help with school-related expenses: basic school supplies, school meals, and/or transport costs. For families with young children, the cash assistance aims to help with child-care-related expenses. It will be a one-time payment of 120 EUR per child 0-17.

The amount of 120 EUR was calculated based on the amount of Child allowance – Prídavok na dieťa delivered by the Government.

In case of any question, please reach out to the UNHCR – UNICEF Helpline:

Toll-Free Line: 0800 22 12 30 (call from Slovak tel. number)
Non-Toll-Free Landline: +421 2 22 11 56 50 (call from non-Slovak tel. number).

Monday to Friday (working days), 8:00 AM to 8 PM

UNHCR, UNICEF, and the Red Cross supported the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family to provide short-term emergency cash assistance from May until September to meet the Material Needs of people who had to flee Ukraine due to the conflict. This was limited assistance to help people with initial needs and transition to their stay in Slovakia.

This programme was separated to the Slovak Government’s social protection programme and was funded by the United Nations and the Red Cross.

Different agencies were providing cash assistance, but all will gave the same amount.

For more information: UNHCR Cash Assistance_ENG

For more information on the Inter-Agency Cash Assistance programme, you can find more details on this poster in: English

Families who want to ask information or enrol for financial assistance with the Government they can visit the Labor Offices [urad prace] located close to the place of their residence as to be enrolled with Ministry of Labor, Social Affrairs and Family. Addresses can be found here: https://www.upsvr.gov.sk/media/medialne-spravy/stat-usetril-vdaka-medzinarodnym-organizaciam-pri-pomoci-odidencom-zukrajiny-viac-ako-11-milionov-eur.html?lang=sk&page_id=1212101

Also, they can visit UNHCR Registration Center in the following 5 locations: Bratislava, Nitra, Zilina, Michalovce & Kosice, as to address any complaints with regards to your payments made by UNHCR & UNICEF.

Please find the addresses for the UNHCR Registration Centers in these cities here.

The amount provided was calculated on the basis of the number of family members and their age according to the table below, up to a maximum of EUR 380 per month, which was set by the Government of the Slovak Republic.

The amount set for each member of the family was agreed with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and was the same for all persons enrolled in the short-term emergency cash programme, even if they received it from different organisations.

In the case of families with a severely disabled member, it was possible to receive additional cash assistance on the basis of an assessment. UNHCR referred these families to UNICEF and IOM, which conducted an assessment and provided support on the basis of the assessment, until 15 November 2022.

With regards to UNHCR/UNICEF eligibility criteria:

Temporary Protection holders/Asylum seekers that arrived since 24 February 2022 that are in need. Only one family member needs to have left Ukraine on or after 24 February to be eligible.

For any questions related to assistance in the care of adults with disabilities, call the information line of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) – Office in Slovakia.

MIC Infoline: 0850 211 478 (calls only from Slovakia)

CBI info with Q&A can be found on the IOM.sk, together with banners in the slider on the homepage, please click the below links for the information in Ukrainian, English, and Slovak Languages:

Ukrainian: https://bit.ly/cbi-ua

English: https://bit.ly/cbi-en

Slovak: https://bit.ly/cbi-sk

Or send a letter to e-mail: [email protected]

For any questions related to assistance for Carers of children with disability or health conditions, please check the below information or call the UNICEF and UNHCR Helpline

Toll-free number: 0800 22 12 30 (from a Slovak phone number)

Non-Toll-free landline: +421 2 22 11 56 50 (call from a telephone number other than Slovak)

Monday to Friday (working days), 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM

UNICEF_Carer’s Grant_ENG