New cafeteria item pushes down the SZÉP card

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 01. 22. 12:07

From 2025, the range of fringe benefits has been expanded with new options, which help employees cover housing costs. The new housing allowance of 150 thousand forints per month can be used for rent and mortgage repayments under favorable tax conditions. This amount can mean up to 1.8 million forints of support annually, which employers can provide within the framework of a cafeteria system. Pénzcentrum’s questions were answered by László Fata, an expert on fringe benefits and founder of Cafeteria TREND magazine.

In addition to housing allowance, other cafeteria elements for housing purposes are also available. For example, through mutual aid funds, a maximum of 43,620 forints can be used per month to repay a mortgage, for which a 20%, maximum 150 thousand forints personal income tax refund can also be claimed annually. In addition, part of the voluntary pension fund savings can also be used for housing purposes, such as renovation or land purchase.

According to László Fata, an expert on fringe benefits, the new housing allowance could be extremely attractive for both employers and employees. The system involves simple administration and is more favorable for employers from a tax perspective than other similar forms of benefits. For example, by providing the maximum housing allowance, an employer can save nearly 950 thousand forints per year compared to wage payments.

According to the expert, this form of support could also be extremely useful for employees, as housing costs are one of the largest expenses for households. The simplicity of administration, favorable taxation and transparent regulation could all contribute to the housing allowance becoming popular, similar to the SZÉP card that was popular in previous years.