Assistance and attendance allowance

Who is entitled to assistance and attendance allowance?

You are entitled to assistance and attendance allowance:

• if you are a pensioner with permanent residence in Slovenia or another EU/EEA Member State and need the assistance of another person to meet your basic living needs;
• if you are blind or partially sighted and are employed or pursue an activity in Slovenia;
• if you are blind and are covered by another insured person’s/pensioner’s health insurance;
• if you are physically disabled and are employed in Slovenia, or pursue an activity commensurate with your capacity to work.

The following questions are answered below:

When are you entitled to assistance and attendance allowance and in what amount?

What do payment and a change or termination of entitlement depend on?

How do I claim assistance and attendance allowance?

You cannot qualify for this allowance if you:

• have been, as an insured person, covered for a narrower  scope of entitlements for most of the insurance period;
• are retired under the Old-Age Insurance of Farmers Act;

If you receive assistance and attendance allowance under the provisions of the Pension and Disability Insurance Act and you are entitled to such a right under other regulations as well, you may only enjoy one of the two entitlements (you make the choice yourself).

When are you entitled to assistance and attendance allowance and in what level?

You are entitled to assistance and attendance allowance:

• if you are in urgent need of assistance and attendance in order to meet all your basic living needs;
• if you are in urgent need of assistance and attendance in order to meet the majority of your basic living needs;
• if you are blind or partially sighted;
• if you have a reduced ability to move of at least 70 %.

Assistance and attendance allowance amount

If your pension is paid to you on a pro-rata basis under the provisions of international social security agreements, you will be paid, if you qualify for assistance and attendance allowance, in the same proportion as that determined for the assessment of your pension.

What do payment and a change or termination of entitlement depend on?

From when am I entitled to the allowance?

You are entitled to assistance and attendance allowance:

• from the day your need for assistance and attendance arises;
• from the day on which the employment relationship is concluded or the day on which you became blind, partially sighted or  physically impaired in the course of employment or the pursuit of an independent activity;
• if you are blind and are covered by another insured person’s/pensioner’s health insurance, from the day after the claim is made.

Entitlement to the assistance and attendance allowance lasts for as long as there is a need for it.

First payment: generally within one month of the issuing of the decision.

Change in the amount and scope of the entitlement

Changes in the state of health that affect the amount and scope of the entitlement take effect the day after they occur. The new amount is paid no later than the first day of the month after the claim was lodged, and backdated for 6 months.

Control checks

ZPIZ may invite you, as the recipient of assistance and attendance allowance, to submit to a check to establish the extent of your need for assistance and attendance. You are obliged to attend a control check. If you fail to do so (and have no due cause for failing to do so), the monthly assistance and attendance allowance due will not be paid.

The amounts of the assistance and attendance allowance thus retained are paid if you attend the control check within one month of the date set for the check. If you fail to do so, the amounts will not be paid.

If you respond to the invitation later, the payment of assistance and attendance allowance will be resumed from the first day of the month after you have attended the control check and been identified as needing further care and assistance.

Suspension of payment

Assistance and attendance allowance is not paid to you during the following periods:

• when you reside and are cared for in hospital or other similar institution for a period of over 6 months;
• when you reside abroad permanently, even though you have a permanent or temporary residence permit in Slovenia. However, the assistance and attendance allowance is paid if you have permanent residence in a Member State or in the European Economic Area.

How do I claim assistance and attendance allowance?

Who can make a claim and what should be enclosed with the claim?

A claim for the entitlement to the allowance (form) may be filed:

• by your doctor or
• by yourself or by your legal or authorised representative; relevant medical documentation (which must be certified by your doctor if the originals are not submitted) should be enclosed.

Where do I send a claim and who decides on it?

You can file your claim in person or send it by post to the nearest ZPIZ regional office.

Entitlement to assistance and attendance allowance is decided on the basis of an expert opinion issued by the disability commission. If you live in another Member State or the EEA, ZPIZ may ask the pension provider in the country of your residence to arrange a medical examination.

ZPIZ decides on the entitlement by decision, on the basis of an expert opinion issued by the disability commission. The statutory time limit for issuing a decision is 6 months.