The master's thesis deals with the position of single persons in the Slovenian social security system and examines whether the existing welfare state system is actually adapted to an individual who is not part of a family community. Special attention is paid to the question of how the structure of the household affects the actual access to social rights and the economic security of an individual. The thesis then presents the theoretical foundations of the welfare state, the development of social rights and the importance of the relationship between the state, the market and the family in ensuring social security. It also highlights the fact that numerous social protection systems have historically been designed on the basis of the model of the economically active family breadwinner. The central part of the thesis is intended to present the Slovenian social security system, especially social insurance, social protection and long-term care. Special attention is paid to those elements of the system that may place single persons in a less favourable position, mainly due to the absence of sharing of living expenses, informal care and economic support that usually exist within the family. The thesis shows that many rights and benefits, although formally accessible to all individuals, in practice consider the household as the basic social unit. The final part focuses on the tax aspect of the welfare state and the importance of the so-called hidden welfare state. It concludes that tax relief and other indirect mechanisms of social support can affect the different position of individuals depending on their family structure. As a result, single persons are more exposed to economic risks and social insecurity, which raises the question of further development of the social security system towards greater individualization of social rights.
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