HZMO to Pay Out €3.1 Million in National Elderly Allowance on Monday
HZMO begins disbursement of the national allowance for July, with over €3.1 million secured from the state budget.
HZMO begins disbursement of the national allowance for July, with over €3.1 million secured from the state budget.
The Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) will begin disbursing the national allowance for seniors for July on Monday, August 17, 2026. The funds will be credited to the accounts of 19,445 beneficiaries held with commercial banks, as confirmed by HZMO.
Of the total number of recipients, women constitute a significant majority. According to HZMO data, 80.21% of beneficiaries are women, while men account for 19.79%. A total of €3,109,859.48 has been allocated from the state budget for this payment.
As of January 1, 2026, the national allowance amounts to €160.22. This monthly sum is intended for elderly individuals who do not qualify for a pension and meet strict legal criteria.
Eligibility for this allowance extends to Croatian citizens who have reached the age of 65 and have had continuous residence in the Republic of Croatia for ten years prior to submitting the application. In addition to the basic requirement, the applicant must not be a pensioner, a contributor to the mandatory pension system, or a recipient of the guaranteed minimum benefit.
An additional restriction pertains to financial status: the income of the applicant and their household members in the previous calendar year, per household member per month, must not exceed €320.44, which is twice the amount of the allowance itself. Furthermore, individuals who have entered into a contract for lifelong or life-long support as recipients are not eligible, unless proceedings for the termination or annulment of such a contract have been initiated.
Another condition is that the applicant must not have been granted the right to accommodation services under social welfare regulations. Additionally, they must not be recipients of the guaranteed minimum benefit under the same regulations, which further narrows the pool of potential beneficiaries to those without other forms of state support.
HZMO notes that applications for the national allowance can be submitted at any time through several channels. Citizens can apply in person at the regional HZMO office corresponding to their place of residence, by registered mail, or electronically via the e-Citizens system.
The right to the allowance accrues from the date of application, provided all prescribed criteria are met. For pension recipients, the right begins on the first day following the suspension of pension payments, and for recipients of the guaranteed minimum benefit, it begins on the first day after that right ceases.
In their announcement, HZMO emphasized: "We note that applications for the national allowance can be submitted at any time, either in person at the regional HZMO office according to the applicant's place of residence, by registered mail, or electronically through the e-Citizens system."
