Guaranteed minimum benefit

You are entitled to a guaranteed minimum benefit if you are single or living in a household and you do not have sufficient means to cover your living needs

In other words, if you are unable to finance your living needs by working, from income from assets or from persons mandated to pay maintenance to them.
 

Requirements to exercise this right

Whether an applicant meets the requirements for the recognition of the right to a guaranteed minimum benefit is established based on the income of the applicant and all of their household members, as well as on the assets owned by the applicant and their family members.

Amounts of the guaranteed minimum benefit

The amount of the guaranteed minimum benefit is determined as a prescribed percentage of the base amount which is determined by a decision of the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The base amount for the calculation of the guaranteed minimum benefit is equal to 132.72 EUR (HRK 1,000), and it is determined once a year.  

Guaranteed minimum benefit for a single person amounts to:

• 100% of the base amount for a working-age single person = 132.72 EUR (HRK 1,000.00)
• 130% of the base amount for an elderly person and a person fully incapable of work = 172.54 EUR (HRK 1,300.00).
• The guaranteed minimum benefit for a household is determined as the sum of shares per household member, and the share for an individual household member amounts to:
• 70% of the base amount for a working-age adult = 92.91 EUR (HRK 700.00)
• 95% of the base amount for an adult fully incapable of work and for an elderly person = 126.09 EUR (HRK 950.00)
• 120% of the base amount for a working-age single parent = 159.27 EUR (HRK 1,200.00)
• 135% of the base amount for a single parent fully incapable of work = 179.18 EUR (HRK 1,350.00)
• 70% of the base amount for a child: 92.91 EUR (HRK 700.00)
• 80% of the base amount for a child in a single-parent family: 106.18 EUR (HRK 800.00)
• 90% of the base amount for a child of a single parent: 119.45 EUR (HRK 900.00)
• 120% of the base amount for a pregnant woman and a new mother up to six months following childbirth = 159.27 EUR (HRK 1,200.00).

In case the single person or the household has an income, the amount of the guaranteed minimum benefit is determined as the difference between the amount of the guaranteed minimum benefit and the single person’s or the household’s monthly income.

Applications for granting these rights must be submitted by 31 December 2022 to the social welfare centre, and as of 1 January 2023 to the institute, competent for your place of residence.

The guaranteed minimum benefit is recognized on the date of filing an application for it or on the date of initiation of the procedure for it ex officio. 

Housing allowance

The right to housing allowance is granted to beneficiaries of the guaranteed minimum benefit, excluding homeless persons in shelters and overnight shelters, persons with a granted service of accommodation in organised housing, victims of domestic violence and victims of human trafficking with a granted service of accommodation in crisis situations.
Within the meaning of this Act, housing costs refer to rent, utilities, heating and water costs, as well as costs incurred in connection with works on increasing the energy efficiency of the building.
The local self-government unit grants the right to housing costs to beneficiaries of the right to a guaranteed minimum benefit.
The local self-government unit grants the right to a housing allowance in the amount of at least 30% of the guaranteed minimum benefit amount granted to a single person or a household.
If housing costs are lower than 30% of the guaranteed minimum benefit amount, the right to a housing allowance is granted in the actual amount of housing costs.
The local self-government unit or the city of Zagreb can pay the housing allowance, in a partial or full amount, directly in the name and for the account of the beneficiary of the guaranteed minimum benefit.