16 406 people applied for the solidarity allowance for households housing Ukrainian refugees free of charge in the first five days. However, they will wait for their applications to be processed. The payment was originally due to start this week, but the deadline was postponed by a week on Tuesday.

“We are now gradually processing the applications,” Labour Office spokeswoman Kateřina Beránková said. According to the spokeswoman, the system through which the solidarity allowance and the humanitarian benefit are intended to cover refugees’ basic living needs is under severe strain.”The increase in processed applications is 12 times higher than normal,” Beránková noted.

Households in which refugees live free of charge for at least sixteen consecutive calendar days can apply for the solidarity allowance. The amount is CZK 3 000 per refugee, but not more than CZK 12 000 per month.
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