Right to a care and assistance allowance

The amount of the care and assistance allowance may be recognised in the full 79.63 EUR or partial amount 55.74 EUR

The right to a care and assistance allowance is recognised to children with developmental disabilities and adults with disabilities who require care and assistance of another person with respect to provision of meals, preparing and eating meals, buying supplies, cleaning and tidying up their apartment, dressing and undressing, maintaining personal hygiene, as well as other basic living needs.
 
The following persons are not entitled to a care and assistance allowance:

• persons who own another apartment or house which is not the apartment or house they live in and which can be disposed of or rented out for the purpose of acquiring the resources necessary for care and assistance
• persons who own business premises which they do not use to carry out their registered business activity
• persons who have been provided with accommodation in a social welfare institution or at other social service provider, in a healthcare or other institution or organised housing pursuant to the provisions of the Act or other regulations
• persons who have entered into a lifelong support agreement or a support until death agreement, except in the case of initiating proceedings for the termination, nullification or annulment of the agreement
• persons who are entitled to a care and assistance allowance under other regulations
• persons who are entitled to personal disability allowance pursuant to this Act or other regulations.

Amount of the care and assistance allowance

The care and assistance allowance can be granted in the full or partial amount, depending on whether the person requires full or partial care and assistance.
The care and assistance allowance equals:

• 79.63 EUR (120 percent of the base amount) if it is granted in the full amount
• 55.74 EUR (84 percent of the base amount) if it is granted in the partial amount 

Beneficiaries of the right to a care and assistance allowance can in exceptional cases also be granted a home attendance service for the purpose of assistance with provision of meals (preparing meals or purchasing and delivering ready meals), doing housework, maintaining personal hygiene and taking care of other everyday needs, provided that they cannot do so themselves or with the help of a parent, spouse or extra-marital partner, same-sex partner, or child.

Exercising of rights

A potential beneficiary has to submit an application to the competent social welfare centre. They are then sent to evaluation at the Institute for Expert Evaluation, Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of People with Disabilities. The right is exercised pursuant to a decision of the competent social welfare institute in the beneficiary’s place of permanent residence. The right is recognised from the date the application was submitted or the procedure was initiated ex officio.
 
Social welfare centres will cease their activities on 31 December 2022, passing them over to the Croatian Social Welfare Institute as of 1 January 2023.

Suspension of the right

The right to a care and assistance allowance is suspended for a beneficiary of such right should they be held in detention, serving a prison sentence, staying in a healthcare institution or residing abroad for a period of more than six months without interruption.
Payment of the care and assistance allowance is suspended based on a decision on the suspension of the right.
The decision on the end of the suspension of the right to a care and assistance allowance is also employed to reinstate the payment of the care and assistance allowance once the circumstances that led to the suspension cease to exist.