- Which laws apply to opening care homes?
- Is the care home operator required to have a presence in the local jurisdiction?
- Is a special legal form required for a care home?
- How are the governing bodies of the care home regulated?
- Is a concession or approval by any regulatory authority required to open a care home?
- Is a care home restricted in the performance of activities on the local market?
- Are there any restrictions on how care homes may use their profits?
- Does the government provide any type of subsidy?
- Is there a supervisory authority in relation to the activities of the care home?
- What is the number of inhabitants?
- What is the number of inhabitants older than 65 (in %)?
- What is the number of care homes?
- Is there a waiting list?
- What institutions regulate and monitor the health and social care services?
jurisdiction
1. Which laws apply to opening care homes?
Social Services Act (in force from 1 July 2020)
2. Is the care home operator required to have a presence in the local jurisdiction?
The care home operator can be a local or an EU-based or EEА-based natural or legal person registered as trader. Direct performance of social services by an EU-based or EEА-based person or entity in Bulgaria could have certain tax implications.
3. Is a special legal form required for a care home?
А care home must be registered as an object of public use.
4. How are the governing bodies of the care home regulated?
There are no specific requirements for the governing bodies of care homes.
5. Is a concession or approval by any regulatory authority required to open a care home?
Yes, the operator of a care home must be registered with the Special Register to the Social Services Quality Agency and must obtain a special license for providing social services. The license term is five years.
6. Is a care home restricted in the performance of activities on the local market?
Care homes are incorporated solely for the performance of specific social services as prescribed by relevant legislation.
7. Are there any restrictions on how care homes may use their profits?
Private operators are not allowed to generate incomes from social services funded by the state budget.
8. Does the government provide any type of subsidy?
Yes, the private operators may apply for resources/funding from the Social Protection Fund to the Minister of Labour and Social Security after defending a project in conformity with the endorsed criteria and standards established by the Regulations for Applying the Act.
9. Is there a supervisory authority in relation to the activities of the care home?
The Inspectorate to the Social Assistance Agency and the Social Services Quality Agency supervise the activities of care homes and can perform on-site inspections as part of the supervision process.
The operator of the care home must submit an annual report of their activity to the Social Services Quality Agency.
10. What is the number of inhabitants?
6,951,482 (source: World Bank)
11. What is the number of inhabitants older than 65 (in %)?
21,64% (source: World Bank)
12. What is the number of care homes?
161
13. Is there a waiting list?
N/A
14. What institutions regulate and monitor the health and social care services?
The Social Services Act and the Rules for implementation govern the legal framework concerning social services in the Republic of Bulgaria. The state policy in the area of social services is determined by the Council of Ministers, while the Ministry for Labour and Social Policy plan, develop, coordinate, implement and control the state policy regarding social services. To perform these functions, the Minister for Labour and Social Policy is supported by the Social Assistance Agency and the Agency for Quality of Social Services.
Social Assistance Agency
The Social Assistance Agency is an administrative body under the Minister for Labour and Social Policy to implement state policy on social assistance. Its activities include providing methodological support in assessing the needs for social services, planning, creating, delivering, and developing social services. The Social Assistance Agency also coordinates the elaboration and update of the National Map for social services. It gives preliminary approval to establish, change the number of beneficiaries and change the place of provision of social services that are financed by the state budget per the National Map of social services. The Agency is also responsible for making draft proposals to the Minister for Labour and Social Policy for setting and updating the standards for financing social services financed by the state budget and for the fees for their use. It takes an active role in drafting legislative changes in the field of social services and maintains an integrated information system regarding social services in Bulgaria.
Agency for Quality of Social Services
The Agency for Quality of Social Services is a legal entity with budgetary dependence on the Minister for Labour and Social Policy. It is managed and represented by an Executive Director. The Agency for Quality of Social Services is responsible for controlling and monitoring the provision of social services across Bulgaria. It also grants licenses to social services providers. It proposes to the Minister for Labour and Social Policy the development of normative standards and criteria for the quality and efficiency of social services. The Agency for Quality of Social Services also provides methodological support for compliance with the normative standards and criteria for the quality of social services. It develops criteria for the analysis of good practices for the high quality and efficiency of social services. The Agency also carries out the selection of such practices and proposes their validation at a national level.
