What is the nursing allowance?
The nursing allowance is a sickness benefit paid from social insurance.
It is provided when you care for a sick family member or a child.
When can you receive the nursing allowance?
You can receive the nursing allowance if:
Whom can you care for?
You may receive the nursing allowance when nursing/caring for:
a child placed in your care by a decision of the competent authority
The following are entitled to the nursing allowance:
What will you need?
To be granted the nursing allowance, you need a doctor's confirmation that:
Special cases (childcare)
You are also entitled to the short-term nursing allowance if:
Good to know
Detailed information on the nursing allowance is available on the Social Insurance Agency website.
From 1 August 2026, you can apply for both the short-term and long-term nursing allowance by submitting the relevant form—Application for Nursing Allowance (Short-term) or Application for Nursing Allowance (Long-term)—available on the Central Public Administration Portal, in the Insured Person's Electronic Account, or as a web form.
The electronic application is significantly simplified—the form is pre-filled with available information and you only need to add a minimum of information.
Good to know
Forms and detailed information are available on the Social Insurance Agency page How to Apply for the Nursing Allowance.
More information about the electronic application is available here: Submitting an Application for the Nursing Allowance (Short-term)
Submitting an Application for the Nursing Allowance (Long-term)Opens in a new window
Short-term nursing allowance
You apply for the short-term nursing allowance by submitting an application for the nursing allowance.
The electronic application for the short-term nursing allowance (link) has been available since 1 August 2026. The doctor confirms the need for nursing care, its duration and its end electronically through eHealth. The current paper forms remain available.
When should you submit the application?
Submit the application if:
the natural person who cares for the child has become ill, has been ordered to quarantine/isolate, or has been admitted to inpatient care in a healthcare facility and therefore cannot care for the child (the need is confirmed by the doctor of the person who cannot care for the child).
What will you need from the doctor?
If the attending physician confirms the need to nurse the person electronically through eHealth, the insured person claims the nursing allowance using the Application for Nursing Allowance (Short-term) form.
For a paper application, the doctor issues:
Special case—a closed school
If you apply for the nursing allowance because a school, kindergarten or facility has closed:
The application is available here: Application for the Nursing Allowance Due to the Closure of a School, Preschool Facility or Social Services Facility.
More information about the electronic application is available here: Submitting an Application for the Nursing Allowance When a Facility Is Closed
Long-term nursing allowance — Since 1 August 2026, an electronic Application for Nursing Allowance (Long-term) has also been available. The form is pre-filled with information and the applicant only adds information that the Social Insurance Agency cannot obtain automatically. The doctor confirms the need for nursing care, its duration and its end electronically through eHealth. The current paper forms remain available.
Who confirms the need for care?
The need for nursing care is initially confirmed by:
For the current paper application, additional forms are confirmed by the general practitioner of the person receiving care:
Where should you submit a paper application?
Submit the completed forms to the Social Insurance Agency:
If you are an employee, the forms must also be confirmed by your employer.
If the doctor confirms the need for nursing care electronically through eHealth
The general practitioner confirms:
A doctor does not confirm a change of insured carers. Instead, the insured person who provided the care must end their nursing care and the next insured person must submit a new application for the long-term nursing allowance.
Good to know
If you wish to change the method of payment of the benefit or have not collected the benefit, use the form: Application for Payment of the Benefit Amount / Change of Place of Payment of the Benefit Amount / Repayment of the Benefit Amount. You can also change the method of payment of the nursing allowance in the Insured Person's Electronic Account.
From 1 August 2026, the Social Insurance Agency will keep you informed about the status of the nursing allowance proceedings (commencement, processing and completion). You will receive the information in your electronic mailbox or Insured Person's Electronic Account.
Important information—electronic nursing care confirmation (gradual rollout)
The doctor will confirm the need to nurse a family member electronically through the electronic nursing care confirmation service. This service is being gradually introduced by healthcare providers during a transitional period from 1 August 2026 to 31 January 2027. Its availability will depend on the readiness of the information system used by the particular outpatient clinic. More information on electronic nursing care confirmation is available at eZdravotnictvo.sk.
