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Social assistance
How to apply for a social service
This general procedure is roughly valid for all social services. Some may require additional documents or assessments – you can find the information on the subpage of the specific service, or obtain it at the municipal or local office / from a private provider.
As of September 1, 2025, the assessment and decision-making regarding eligibility for social services is carried out by the competent Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (ÚPSVR) pursuant to Act No. 376/2024 Coll. (integrated assessment activity). Submit your application for assessment of eligibility to the relevant ÚPSVR according to your place of residence (in person or electronically). After receiving the decision on eligibility, choose a social service provider and conclude a contract.
How to proceed when applying for a social service: (Effective from 1 September 2025)
1
Submit an application for an integrated assessment at the competent ÚPSVR.
At the ÚPSVR according to your permanent residence (the forms are available at the office as well as on the ÚPSVR/MPSVR website under “Useful documents”). Submit the complete application in person or by post.
What to include/attach (standard):
- personal details of the applicant, the type and form of the requested social service;
- a current medical report (ideally not older than ~6 months; can also be a specialist’s report or a hospital discharge summary);
- if available, a previous assessment of dependency or an assessment from another proceeding if it contains the degree of dependency;
- for specialized facilities, also a psychiatric/neurological examination;
- if the applicant cannot sign due to health reasons, another person may sign based on confirmation from the attending physician. (The ÚPSVR may specify particular requirements and attachments; the integrated assessment is used – both social and medical part.)
Main forms
- Application for integrated assessment – PDF (ÚPSVR): (ÚPSVaR)
- Application for integrated assessment – DOCX (ÚPSVR): (ÚPSVaR)
Electronic submission
- Online eForm – Application for integrated assessment (slovensko.sk): (Slovensko)
Contacts and office hours of all labour, social affairs, and family offices (by regions/districts) –
you select your district and submit the same forms: (ÚPSVaR)
Transitional cases: Proceedings initiated before 31 August 2025 will be completed by the municipality/self-governing region (VÚC) under the old rules. Existing “decisions on dependency” remain valid until a new integrated assessment is issued. (Ministry of Labour)
2
The ÚPSVR will prepare an integrated assessment (with a proposal for a social service).
The assessment includes both the medical and social part, as well as a proposal for an appropriate social service; it is delivered to you and to the competent local government. (Ministry of Labour)
3
After the assessment, complete the Application for the Provision of a Social Service.
In the application, include:
- personal details;
- type of service, name of the provider, and place of provision;
- expected start date and time of provision;
- handwritten signature (or the signature of an authorized person with a doctor’s confirmation, see above).
4
Where to submit the application for the provision of a social service
To the Regional Office – if you want the service from a non-public provider or a provider established by another municipality/region. Attach a copy of the integrated assessment (or a legally valid “old” decision and assessment if it is a transitional case).
Directly to the provider/facility – if it is a facility established by the region where you have permanent residence or another public provider; attach the same documents. (Regions, cities, and municipalities now ensure the provision of services based on the ÚPSVR assessment.) (Ministry of Labour)
5
Fees
Check the payment for the service:
- with a public provider, according to the generally binding regulation (VZN) of the relevant region;
- with a non-public provider, according to their published price list (on their website or another publicly accessible place).
First Contact Office
Address
Office of the Prešov Self-Governing Region
Department of Social Affairs and Family
Námestie mieru 2
080 01 Prešov
Office hours
Monday 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Friday 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Contact
Phone number: 051 / 70 81 111
Email: podatelna@psk.sk
Application for assessment of dependence on social services: https://www.presov.sk/posudkova-cinnost-0-clanok/mid/313021/.html
What to look out for when contracting a social service provider?
We recommend you clearly check, what services are included in the price, or what amount is extra.
The law determines which activities are paid for and which are provided free of charge. The price for the same type and the same range of activities within this service must be the same for all clients of a given provider; and the method of its calculation must be publicly accessible and comprehensiblefor applicants and recipients of social services. This does not mean that all citizens pay the same fee, as it also depends on the level of income and assets of the citizen. Prices may change in line with pension increases, but also increases in reimbursement by the municipality/city
and the municipality or non-public provider. Inflation, energy and food prices, and changes in wage levels also have an impact on reimbursement rates.
For certain other activities, such as medical rehabilitation, art therapy, you have to pay for yourself and enter into a separate contract with the provider to provide them.
For some facilities and services, you can choose to upgrade – for example, to exclusive room amenities, a larger room and a higher frequency of cleaning. There is usually an extra charge for upgrades, and its details must be included in the contract you sign.
Attention!
The social service provider may not make the conclusion of the contract conditional on further payment or non-monetary consideration.
