Twins & Singletons: Parenting Tips

All parents who properly care for young children are entitled to parental allowance from the state. It is most often paid after the end of maternity leave, during which cash assistance in maternity is paid. Women who are not entitled to maternity leave, for example businesswomen, can start drawing parental allowance immediately after giving birth.

The basic amount for one child born is 350 thousand crowns. That is, the same as last year. However, the change occurred in the parental allowance for twins and other multiples. This increased to twice the basic amount, i.e. to 700 thousand crowns. This is 175 thousand crowns more than last year.

All parents of children who are born two or more at the same time in 2026 will receive such a higher contribution. But not only them. Some parents whose multiple children were born before January 1, 2026 will also improve. This applies to cases where these children still remain the youngest born in the family and at the same time have not exceeded the age limit:

Parents of multiple children born before 2026 who are still receiving the original allowance and are entitled to an increase to 700,000 crowns do not have to actively apply for it. The labor office, which pays parental allowances, will increase them automatically.

“For parents who are still receiving parental allowance for multiple children on January 1, 2026, the total amount will be increased by law as part of the ongoing application, no decision is made on this and the payment will continue,” confirms František Bikár, a spokesperson for the Labor Office.

Those who want to confirm the information about the increase can follow the information in the Jenda online client zone, in which the contribution changes will be displayed. Alternatively, you can contact the office of the Labor Office.

It is more complicated for people who have already used up the original allowance of 525,000, but their multiple children have not yet reached the age limit and are the youngest children in the family. You have to apply for a supplementary allowance.

This can be done online in the Jenda client zone, by data box, e-mail with an electronic signature or in person at the contact office of the Labor Office. That is, similar to when applying for parental allowance for the first time.

“In the case of parents who have already used up the total amount to date and otherwise meet the eligibility conditions even after January 1, 2026, that the increase will also apply, but for further drawing they must submit a new application for parental allowance and choose the monthly drawing amount, the application is subject to administrative proceedings,” adds Bikár.

He reminds that in all cases, what was already paid in connection with the care of multiple children will be included in the new total amount of 700,000 crowns. So the persons in question are not entitled to an additional 700,000 crowns, but to an increase in the total limit and a top-up to 700,000 crowns. “The age limit for drawing remains unchanged, i.e. for children born before December 31, 2023, it is up to four years of age, and for children born from January 1, 2024, up to three years of age,” clarifies spokesperson Bikár.

The parents will have to pay the remaining amount of up to 700,000 crowns within three years of the age of the multiples if they were born after 2023. Or within four years if they were born before the end of 2023.

Another novelty this year can help them with this – the possibility of increasing the amount of the contribution per month, and thus its faster withdrawal.

Parents who were not entitled to cash support during maternity or whose income was low before going on maternity leave can now draw a monthly allowance:

Parents who were entitled to maternity leave and earned more money can “play” a little more with the amount of the monthly allowance. They can increase and decrease it as they need, however they are also limited by the maximum height. This is set by law as 70 percent of 30 times the daily assessment base, which is the average gross income for the last twelve months budgeted per day. With multiples, you double this limit.

If the parents receive maternity allowance, the maximum amount of the parental allowance is usually the same as the maternity allowance.

The amount of parental allowance can be changed using the form “Choosing the amount of parental allowance”, and this can be done no more often than once every three months.

Parental allowance is paid for a maximum of three years to parents of children born from 2024 and for a maximum of four years to parents of children born before 2024. If you do not collect it before this time, you will lose the remaining part. That’s why it’s good to plan your pumping.

The Labor Office will also stop payment of the allowance when you have another child. And that’s because parental allowance will start being paid to the youngest child in the family. Alternatively, cash assistance in maternity, if you are entitled to it. However, you usually do not lose the unused contribution.

“If, while receiving the parental allowance, the family grows by adding another child, and thus does not have time to use up the current benefit to the total amount set by law, the Labor Office of the Czech Republic will pay out the remaining part of the parental allowance all at once if the conditions are met,” says František Bikár, spokesman for the Labor Office.

He adds that the condition for the one-time payment of the unused allowance is that at least one of the parents can be assigned a daily assessment base on the date of birth of the youngest child, or that at least one of the parents is self-employed.

While receiving parental allowance, you can work and use the services of children’s groups or kindergartens. Children under the age of two can spend up to 120 hours a month. Attendance is no longer monitored for children older than two years.