Substitute Family

A "substitute family" is a form of arrangement for an adult incapacitated citizen to live together and share a household with another individual who is not a close relative (an assistant).

An assistant can be a legally capable citizen aged 18 to 65, permanently residing in the Republic of Belarus, who is not a Group I or II disabled person and is not legally obliged to support the adult incapacitated citizen.

Social services in a substitute family are provided based on the principles of joint household management and joint budget formation. In this regard:

— the amount of funds transferred by the adult incapacitated citizen to the substitute family's budget cannot exceed 75 percent of their assigned pension, including allowances, surcharges, and increases;

— in the case of providing social services to a Group I disabled person with a severely impaired ability to self-care, the assistant receives a monthly monetary remuneration from local budget funds equal to the subsistence minimum budget.

Conclusion of an agreement at the initiative of an incapacitated citizen

To conclude an agreement for the provision of social services, an adult incapacitated citizen applies to the territorial center for social services at their place of residence and submits the following documents:

• written application;
• identity document;
• disability certificate (for citizens belonging to this category);
• medical certificate of health status and/or conclusion of the medical advisory commission (VKK), containing information on the presence of medical indications and/or absence of medical contraindications for the provision of social services in the form of home social care (Form 1zdr/u-10).

The center's employees conduct an assessment of the material and living conditions and request the following information from state bodies (organizations):

• information about the living premises occupied in the given locality, place of residence, and family composition;
• information about the absence (presence) of criminal prosecution (convictions) and administrative offenses in the territory of the Republic of Belarus;
• information about the absence of care provided by a person receiving a care allowance for a Group I disabled person or a person who has reached 80 years of age;
• information about the amount of pension received for the month preceding the month of application;
• other necessary documents.

Conclusion of an agreement at the initiative of an assistant

To conclude an agreement for the provision of social services, the assistant applies to the territorial center for social services at their place of registration (place of residence) and submits the following documents:

• written application;
• identity document;
• income information for the month preceding the month of application – if available;
• medical certificate of health status and/or conclusion of the medical advisory commission (VKK), containing information on the presence of medical indications and/or absence of medical contraindications for the provision of social services in the form of home social care (Form 1zdr/u-10).

The center's employees conduct an assessment of the assistant's material and living conditions and request the following information from state bodies (organizations):