The activity of social welfare is performed by social welfare institutions, local and regional self-government units, i.e. the City of Zagreb, associations, religious communities, other legal entities, craftsmen and other natural persons who perform social welfare activities. Supervision over the performance of social welfare activities is carried out by the ministry in charge of social welfare affairs.

The matter of social welfare is regulated by the Social Welfare Act (Official Gazette no. 18/22, 46/22, 119/22, 71/23 and 156/23).

Foreigners realise their rights in the social welfare system in accordance with their statuses recognised in the Republic of Croatia on the basis of certain documents defining such statuses.

Foreigners who are in an unfavourable situation with one of the following statuses are:

– a foreigner with a permanent residence and a long-term stay in the Republic of Croatia;

– a stateless person with a temporary and permanent residence and a long-term stay in the Republic of Croatia;

– a foreigner under subsidiary protection, an asylum seeker and a foreigner under temporary protection, and members of their families legally residing in the Republic of Croatia.

These persons have the same rights in the social welfare system as nationals of the Republic of Croatia residing in Croatia.

All others who are not listed may be entitled to a one-time compensation and accommodation service in other cases under the conditions prescribed by the Social Welfare Act, provided this is necessary due to the person’s circumstances at the time.

The Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets provides accommodation to asylum seekers and foreigners under subsidiary protection, if they are unable to settle their housing costs by their own means, according to the Act on International and Temporary Protection (Official Gazette No 70/15, 127/17 and 33/23). Housing costs are settled from the state budget. Accommodation is provided for a maximum period of 24 months from the date of the decision on the approval of international protection.

Benefits within the social welfare system are the following:

1. Guaranteed minimum benefit,
2. Housing allowance,
3. Allowance for the endangered energy source buyers,
4. Personal allowance,
5. One-time benefit,
6. Compensation for funeral expenses,
7. Compensation for full-time study,
8. Payment of expenses in the student dormitory,
9. Personal disability allowance (not possible to submit a request to exercise this right, see the Note);
10. Assistance and care allowance (not possible to submit a request to exercise this right, see the Note);
11. the parent caretaker status, or the caretaker status.

Note:

As of 1 January 2024, i.e., with the entry into force of the Inclusive Allowance Act (Official Gazette No 156/23), the provisions of the Social Welfare Act (Official Gazette, No 18/22, 46/22, 119/22 and 71/23) relating to the exercise of rights to a personal disability allowance had expired, and procedures relating to the the beneficiaries of those rights are prescribed by the final and transitional provisions of the Inclusive Allowance Act.

As of 1 January 2024, i.e., with the entry into force of the Inclusive Allowance Act (Official Gazette No 156/23), the provisions of the Social Welfare Act (Official Gazette, No 18/22, 46/22, 119/22 and 71/23) relating to the exercise of rights to an assistance and care allowance had expired, and procedures relating to the beneficiaries of those rights are prescribed by the final and transitional provisions of the Inclusive Allowance Act.

 

Social services are the following:

1. first social service,
2. comprehensive assessment and planning service,
3. counselling,
4. professional assessment,
5. psychosocial counselling,
6. social mentoring,
7. family mediation,
8. psychosocial treatment to prevent violent behaviour,
9. psychosocial support,
10. early development support,
11. assistance in inclusion in regular education programmes,
12. home help,
13. stay,
14. organized housing and
15. accommodation.

The Croatian Institute for Social Work decides on the recognition of rights and social services in the administrative area of social welfare by a decision or referral, except for the right to compensation for housing costs decided by the local self-government unit, i.e., the City of Zagreb.

 

Personal Assistance Act (Official Gazette, No 71/23)

The right to personal assistance can be granted to a Croatian citizen with a place of residence in the Republic of Croatia, a foreigner with a permanent residence and a long-term stay in the Republic of Croatia, and a stateless person with a temporary and permanent residence and a long-term stay in the Republic of Croatia, a citizen of an EEA Member State who has a registered temporary stay in the Republic of Croatia, and a third-country national with an approved temporary residence in the Republic of Croatia. A foreigner under subsidiary protection, an asylum seeker, a foreigner under temporary protection, and members of their families legally residing in the Republic of Croatia, as well as a foreigner with an established status of a victim of human trafficking, can exercise the right to personal assistance under the conditions prescribed by this Act, by laws governing the protection from human trafficking, and by laws governing the status, rights and obligations of persons who have been granted international protection.

The Act defines the service of personal assistance, the modalities for exercising the right to the service, the financing of the service, the service providers and other issues pertaing to the service of personal assistance. Personal assistance includes the services of a personal assistant, a communication mediator, and a sighted guide.

Personal assistance is a social service for helping and supporting a person with a disability in activities they cannot perform on their own due to the type and the degree of their disability, and that are necessary on a daily basis, both in the home and outside the home. Personal assistance also includes helping and supporting the person in communication and information gathering, with the goal of achieving a higher degree of independence and inclusion for the person, protecting and exercising their human rights, as well as achieving equality with others.

The right to the service of personal assistance is granted by the Croatian Institute for Social work, via a decision.

 

The Inclusive Allowance Act (Official Gazette, No 156/23)

The right to an inclusive allowance can be granted to a Croatian citizen with a place of residence in the Republic of Croatia, to a third-country national with a permanent residence or a long-term stay or an approved temporary residence in the Republic of Croatia, to a stateless person with a temporary or permanent residence or a long-term stay in the Republic of Croatia, and to a citizen of an EEA Member State who has a registered temporary stay in the Republic of Croatia.

A foreigner under subsidiary protection, an asylum seeker, a foreigner under temporary protection, and members of their families legally residing in the Republic of Croatia, as well as a foreigner with an established status of a victim of human trafficking, can exercise the right to an inclusive allowance under the conditions prescribed by this Act, by laws governing the protection from human trafficking, and by laws governing the status, rights and obligations of persons who have been granted international protection.

The inclusive allowance is a cash benefit intended for persons with disabilities. Its aim is to help disabled persons to overcome various obstacles that might prevent their full and efficient participation in society on an equal footing with others.

The inclusive allowance is paid out in amounts sorted in 5 levels, depending on the type, severity, degree of the damage to health, i.e., functional abilities, as well as on age. Level 1 is the largest amount of the inclusive allowance, and Level 5 is the smallest.

 The right to an inclusive allowance is granted by the Croatian Institute for Social work, via a decision.

 

 On the date of the entry into force of the Inclusive Allowance Act, the following shall expire:

• Articles 50 to 60 of the Social Welfare Act (Official Gazette No 18/22, 46/22, 119/22 and 71/23) relating to the exercise of rights to an assistance and care allowance, and the rights to a personal disability allowance;
• The provisions set out in Article 1, paragraph 1 of the Labour Market Act (Official Gazette No 118/18, 32/20 i 18/22), in the part relating to financial aid for unemployed persons with a disability, and Article 7, Section 5, Article 70.a, and Article 72, Paragraphs 2 and 3 in the part relating to financial aid for unemployed persons with a disability;
• Article 12 of the Child Allowance Act (Official Gazette No 94/01, 138/06, 107/07, 37/08 − Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia, 61/11, 112/12, 82/15 and 58/18), Article 10, paragraph 5, Article 21, paragraph 1 in the part relating to a child with a health impairment, Article 22 and Article 30a in the part relating to meeting the medical requirements.

 

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Relevant links

• Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy 
• Social Welfare Act, OG 18/22, 46/22, 119/22, 71/23
• Act on International and Temporary Protection, OG 70/15, 127/17 and  33/23
• Inclusive Allowance Act (Official Gazette no. 156/23)
• Personal Assistance Act (Official Gazette no.  71/23)
• The Croatian Institute for Social Work