Chapter XI: Minimum resources
When are you entitled to benefits regarding minimum resources?
All permanent residents who lack sufficient resources (whose property and income fall below a certain threshold) due to objective reasons may be entitled to the Financial Social Assistance (denarna socialna pomoč).
State Pension
The State Pension (državna pokojnina) is a means-tested benefit. It can be paid to anyone permanently resident in the Republic of Slovenia who is not entitled to a pension under the statutory pension and invalidity insurance scheme or a foreign public pension. The person concerned must be over 65 years of age and have permanently resided in Slovenia for at least 30 years between the ages of 15 and 65.
Supplementary Allowance
Supplementary Allowance (varstveni dodatek) is a monthly means-tested cash supplement under the pension and invalidity insurance scheme. It is provided to pensioners with a very low pension, be it an old-age, invalidity, widow’s or widower’s or family pension. In order to be entitled, a pensioner has to be permanently resident in Slovenia.
Maintenance Grant
Maintenance Grant (oskrbnina) may be claimed after the right to Indemnity (described in Chapter VII) has been exhausted. The widow or widower has to register at the employment office within 30 days after that date and fulfil the conditions for entitlement to the Supplementary allowance. Hence, this Maintenance Grant is also a means-tested benefit.
What is covered?
Financial Social Assistance is determined according to the subsistence level, and is linked with the minimum income (minimalni dohodek). The basic amount of this minimum income for an individual is set at the level of € 230.61 in 2011. Minimum family income is determined according to the family structure in the following way: for the first adult 100% of the basic amount of minimum income is taken into consideration; for the next adult a further 70%, and for each child and for single parent families another 30% of the basic amount are added.
The amount of the Financial Social Assistance is calculated as the difference between the minimum income (of the individual or the family) and actual income (of the individual or the family). The duration of assistance may not exceed three months when granted for the first time, but afterwards can be prolonged for six months, as long as the circumstances have not changed. In special cases (persons above 60 years or other relevant circumstances) assistance may be granted for a maximum of 12 months. Permanent Financial Social Assistance is granted to persons whose social status is not likely to improve in the future.
State pension is a flat-rate monthly assistance, amounting to 33.3% of the lowest pension calculation base. In 2011 it amounts to € 181.36. Supplementary Allowance is determined on a basis of the difference between the pension and the threshold. It may cover a part or the entire difference, and also depends on the length of the pension period. For instance, for 15 years of pension period it covers 60% and for 35 years or more it covers the entire difference between the pension and the threshold.
The Maintenance Grant is equal to the Widow’s or Widower’s pension which the beneficiary would have received had he/she been entitled. It cannot exceed a certain level or duration (24 months).
How are minimum resources benefits accessed?
Financial Social Assistance can be claimed at the Centre for Social Work. Applications may be lodged by using a special form, accompanied by the relevant evidence (properly substantiated).
The State Pension, Supplementary Allowance and Maintenance Grant have to be claimed at the local office of the Pension and Invalidity Insurance Institute of Slovenia. The office may at any time require a person receiving Supplementary Allowance to present proofs of continued entitlement. The entitlement can be ex officio verified every two years. Failure to produce the required evidence in due time might result in loss of entitlement.
Your right to minimum resources benefits when moving within Europe
Some special non-contributory cash benefits are provided exclusively in the country in which the beneficiary resides and are therefore not “exportable”. These benefits are listed in the Annex II provided at the end of this guide. EU coordination rules apply only to social security, not to social assistance benefits.
Further information about the coordination of social security rights when moving or travelling can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/social-security-coordination.