National Benefit for the Elderly (National Pension)
The Act on the National Benefit for the Elderly, published in the Official Gazette No. 62/20, in force and effect from 1 January 2021, regulates cash benefits for Croatian citizens over 65 years of life.
- The National Benefit for the Elderly is granted to a Croatian citizen who, immediately before applying for the benefit, has reached the age of 65 and resided in the territory of the Republic of Croatia for twenty years without interruption.
Besides the above requirement, an applicant must comply with the following conditions:
- the applicant is not a pension beneficiary or an insured person covered by the mandatory pension insurance
- the monthly income the applicant or his household members earned per a household member in the previous calendar year does not exceed the determined amount of the National Benefit for the Elderly
- the applicant is not entitled to the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit according to the regulations on social welfare
- the applicant is not entitled to service of accommodation according to the regulations on social welfare
- the applicant has not concluded a Contract of Support Until Death or a Lifelong Support Contract in capacity of a supported person.
Exceptionally, the pension beneficiary or the beneficiary of the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit may exercise their right to the National Benefit for the Elderly under the condition: that the pension beneficiary previously required suspension of his pension, or that there have been determined that the right to the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit is terminated.
HOW TO APPLY FOR THE NATIONAL BENEFIT FOR THE ELDERLY
The claiming procedure for the National Benefit for the Elderly is initiated by the filing of an application to HZMO's 1 regional organizational unit competent according to the applicant's place of residence.
The application form for the National Benefit for the Elderly can be downloaded from this website or purchased in the Official Gazette's points of sale (Narodne novine).
An application for a national benefit for the elderly can also be submitted electronically, within the digital portal e-Građani (Eng.: e-Citizens).
ENTITLEMENT COMMENCEMENT DATE
- The entitlement to the National Benefit for the Elderly will start from the day of an orderly submitted application, if the prescribed entitlement conditions are met.
- The pension beneficiary will be entitled to the National Benefit for the Elderly from the day immediately following the day of suspension of payment of such beneficiary's pension received from the mandatory pension insurance of the Republic of Croatia or from abroad.
- The beneficiary of the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit will be entitled to the National Benefit for the Elderly from the day immediately following the day of termination of his right to the Guaranteed Minimum Benefit.
The right to the National Benefit for the Elderly is decided upon in the first instance, by HZMO regional organizational unit according to the applicant's residence.
An appeal may be filed against the first-instance decision on the right to the National Benefit for the Elderly, and the central organisational unit of HZMO will decide on it.
Equally so, it is possible to initiate an administrative dispute against the second-instance decision.
Starting 1 January 2021, the National Benefit for the Elderly amounts to 800.00 HRK per month and its payment began from the entry in force of the Act on the National Benefit for the Elderly.
Starting 1 January 2022, the National Benefit for the Elderly will adjust according to the change between the CPI rate applied in the previous year and CPI in the year immediately preceding that year, according to the data provided by the Central Bureau of Statistics, under the condition that the rate of change of CPI is higher than zero.
Payment of the National Benefit for the Elderly
The National Benefit for the Elderly is paid by HZMO, through commercial banks in the Republic of Croatia.
The beneficiary of the National Benefit for the Elderly is obliged to notify the competent regional service or regional office of HZMO, within 15 days, of any change in personal or actual circumstances affecting his entitlement and exercising of his right to the National Benefit for the Elderly.
The National Benefit for the Elderly is a personal right of a beneficiary and it may not be inherited or transferred to any other person.
National Benefit for the Elderly must not be subject to enforcement or serve as a security instrument.
