Ukrainians in the Czech Republic receive only 1% of the social budget, but they continue to be accused of “parasitizing on the system”

In the fourth year since the start of the full-scale war, Ukrainian refugees remain one of the largest groups in need of protection and assistance in Europe. In the Czech Republic, where hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have arrived during this time, people with temporary protection are not just trying to survive – most of them work, support their families, pay taxes and take on the burden of low-paid work, which the Czechs themselves often refuse. But despite the statistics, efforts and the limited aid received, it is Ukrainians who are increasingly accused of “depleting the social system”.

One percent of the budget, a target for everyone

In accordance with data, published on July 22, 2025 by the Czech publication Deník Referendum, Ukrainians with temporary protection receive only one percent of the entire social budget of the Czech Republic. This means that out of every state crown allocated to social security, only one hundredth goes to cover the needs of Ukrainians. These numbers, dry and irrefutable, leave no room for fantasies about “financial rush” or “social parasitism.” And yet, it is Ukrainians who are most often the object of accusations of allegedly excessive burden on the budget, as if ignoring the obvious: they financially resort to the state much less than any other social group.

About 330,000 Ukrainians with temporary protection are currently in the Czech Republic. At the same time, only a quarter of them — 25% — receive humanitarian aid. And even this support is not guaranteed: the average amount of the payment is 8,119 kroner per month, and any other declared income is automatically deducted from it. Thus, for working people, it is either completely eliminated or reduced to minimal amounts. It is not a privilege, but a survival mechanism.

80% — in labor migration, not dependent

Data indicate that more than 80% of Ukrainians with temporary protection in the Czech Republic are working. Many are in physically demanding, low-paying jobs, often unattached to a previous occupation. Among them are cleaners, packers, support workers, cooks, and production workers. Many Ukrainians are forced to work two jobs to support their families. At the same time, in the conditions of the rental crisis and inflation, more than 50% of Ukrainian families remain below the poverty line, even with full-time employment.

These are not people who expect a social handout. These are the ones who are in charge of logistics, food industry, cleaning and service. In the regions of the Czech Republic, where there is not enough labor, it is Ukrainians who ensure the uninterrupted operation of the economy.

The most vulnerable are outside the system

A separate drama is the situation of pensioners, people with disabilities and mothers with young children. It is these categories, which are most in need of social protection, that are almost completely excluded from the Czech welfare system. They cannot receive most of the social benefits that Czech citizens are entitled to, including assistance for the care of disabled persons.

This systemic gap is most clearly revealed in the story of Daryna, a Ukrainian woman with Czech citizenship. She brought her mother, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, quit her job to care for her and applied for carer’s allowance, but was refused. The reason is that her mother is a citizen of Ukraine, so she does not formally fall under the rules providing for assistance. An alternative option is a private boarding house that is ready to accept a disabled person only for a full payment of 25,000-35,000 kroner per month. In March, Daryna was forced to return her mother to Ukraine, leaving her in a helpless state without care. And this is not an exception, but a symptom of a system in which vulnerable Ukrainians have no protection.

Political promises that dissolve in the air

The Czech authorities have repeatedly stated publicly that they are considering giving Ukrainians access to a wider range of social benefits. Such promises have been made since 2022, but still have not been implemented in legislation. Even after the changes affecting Ukrainians with disabilities entered into force in July 2025, the results of these amendments remain unknown. Experts emphasize: it will be possible to talk about the effectiveness of the new norms no earlier than in a few months.

Despite this, the Czech Republic still does not provide Ukrainians with access to social rights in the form in which other European countries, in particular Germany and France, have done so. There, temporary protection means real integration into the state assistance system, not semi-legal survival on the periphery.

Fakes, populism and artificial xenophobia

Against the background of the social vulnerability of Ukrainians, fakes and populist fictions are spreading in the public space. The loudest of them are about the alleged “fifty thousand crowns a month” of assistance or “buses that bring Ukrainians on social security payments every day.” These narratives are fueled by far-right political forces and a radical voter-oriented media.

The reality is that there are no data on mass abuse of social assistance by Ukrainians. On the contrary, the majority of Ukrainians work, and the level of access to assistance is low and strictly regulated. But in the election season, against the background of economic instability, it is the Ukrainians who have become a convenient target, who can be accused of “unbalancing the system” without having any evidence.

Calls for change

Leading analysts, public organizations and human rights defenders in the Czech Republic call on the authorities to provide Ukrainian refugees with real access to the social protection system, especially in terms of support for people from vulnerable categories. This, in their opinion, is not only fair, but also rational, because it will relieve tension, reduce the burden on charitable initiatives and prevent discrimination.

Among the political parties, only the Greens expressed public support for such a reform, which is not the first time they have come out on the side of refugees in the Czech Republic. At the same time, most of the parliamentary forces avoid a direct answer or play on the mood of the electorate, silently supporting the policy of restrictions.

Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic do not exhaust the system, but are part of its foundation, although they lack full protection. They work, survive on the bare minimum, take care of their families and help the Czech Republic maintain its labor markets. However, without fair access to social rights, the balance is inevitably disturbed. Not for the benefit of either Ukrainians or Czech democracy itself.