Conditions, the five support levels and the amount
The inclusion allowance is a cash benefit for a person with a disability, intended to help overcome barriers that prevent their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. It was introduced by the Inclusion Allowance Act and replaced several earlier benefits from the social welfare and labour market systems.
The first condition: citizenship and residence
The right may be granted to a Croatian citizen residing in the Republic of Croatia, to a third-country national with permanent residence, long-term residence or approved temporary residence, to a stateless person with temporary or permanent residence or long-term residence, and to a national of a European Economic Area member state with registered temporary or permanent residence in Croatia.
A special position is held by asylees, foreigners under subsidiary and temporary protection and members of their families lawfully residing in Croatia.
The second condition: an established degree of severity of disability
This condition is established by expert evaluation under the Regulation on Expert Evaluation Methodologies, that is, under the Lists of the Type and Severity of Disability and Impairment of Functional Abilities. The Act distinguishes two groups, depending on the support level sought.
For the first, second and third support levels, the right is granted to an adult for whom the third or fourth degree of severity of disability has been established and who also has the status of a person with a disability under the act governing the register of persons with disabilities, and to a child for whom the second, third or fourth degree has been established — in that case regardless of the status of a person with a disability.
For the fourth and fifth support levels, the right is granted to an adult and to a child for whom the second or third degree of severity of disability has been established, likewise regardless of that status.
The five support levels and the amount
The amount is not set as a fixed figure but as a percentage of a base amount determined by a decision of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.
| Support level | % of base | Monthly* |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 600 % | EUR 720 |
| Level 2 | 400 % | EUR 480 |
| Level 3 | 360 % | EUR 432 |
| Level 4 | 135 % | EUR 162 |
| Level 5 | 115 % | EUR 138 |
*Calculated on a base amount of EUR 120.00 (decision of the Government of the Republic of Croatia).
The support level is determined by the Institute, but not on its own assessment — it is determined on the basis of the findings and opinion of the Institute for Expert Evaluation, Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities, under the List of the Type and Severity of Disability.
Classification into one of the five levels depends on a combination of elements: the type of impairment, its degree, age (children under seven and children from seven to 18 are treated separately), the Barthel Index for physical impairments, and the existence of an additional difficulty.
Do you need legal advice on obtaining the inclusion allowance? Contact our office – we represent clients before the Croatian Institute for Social Work, in appeal proceedings before the Ministry, and in administrative disputes before the administrative court.