Factsheet for measure
SI-2020-18/444
–
Updated
– measures in Slovenia
One-time solidarity allowance for retired persons, large families and other vulnerable groups
Enkratni solidarnostni dodatek za upokojence in druge ranljive skupin
Background information
The 'Act Determining the Intervention Measures to Contain the COVID-19 Epidemic and Mitigate its Consequences for Citizens and the Economy' (ZIUZEOP), adopted by the National Assembly on 2 April 2020, endows retirees and other vulnerable groups with the right to one-time solidarity allowance. The measure aims at preventing social hardship of persons with low incomes under the condition that they are permanent residents in Slovenia. Allowances vary with social groups and their revenues. The measure reaches the following social groups: retirees, unemployed disabled persons, recipients of social benefit, students, and big families.
Content of measure
The main subjects eligible for the 'one-time solidarity allowance' are retirees and unemployed disabled persons with the income below €700 a month.
The bonus varies with the income which a person receives: it is €300 for pensioners with €500 per month and less, €230 for those with pensions between €500.01 and €600, and €130 for those with pensions between €600.01 and €700. Recipients of social benefits and regular students are entitled to one-time support of €150.
All persons concerned will receive a bonus by the end of April.
The ‘One-time solidarity allowance’ is exempted from taxes, social security contributions, and income tax.
For the duration of the epidemic, large families will receive €100 (families with three children) or €200 bonus (with four children or more).
Updates
The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.
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27 December 2021
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The tenth COVID-19 (ZDUPŠOP) law, adopted on 27 December 2021, endows retirees and (unemployed and part-time employed) recipients of disability insurance compensation with the right to one-time solidarity allowance. The bonus varies with the income which a person receives: it is €300 for persons with €523 a month and less, €230 for those with income between €523.01 and €628, and €130 for those with income between €628.01 and €732.
The following groups receive the €150 bonus: farmers 65 years old or more with income less than €591.20 a month, war veterans, and disabled persons.
The payment deadline is the end of January 2022 for retirees and farmers and 31 March 2022 for recipients of disability insurance compensation, war veterans and disabled persons. One-time solidarity allowances for retirees and farmers are exempted from the exercise of rights from public funds (except for the extraordinary money benefit) and the personal income tax.
Families continue to receive a one-time bonus for newborn babies until June 2023.
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11 May 2021
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Although most of the one-time solidarity allowances were already paid off, childcare allowances are paid monthly until the end of the epidemic. The limit of one year after the pandemic applies to a one-time bonus for newborn babies
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03 February 2021
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The eighth COVID-19 (ZDUOP) law, adopted on 3 February 2021, enlarges the group, having the right to one-time solidarity allowance:
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Part-time employed recipients of invalidity insurance benefits (the limit is €714 converted to full-time equivalent);
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High school students, 18 years old before 19 October 2020, receive €50.
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Recipients of war veterans allowances (€150);
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Unemployed since 12 March 2020 whose employment contract had not been terminated by resigning or due to misconduct (€150);
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Foreign workers, unemployed since 12 March 2020 and not entitled to unemployment benefits (€150) - not included are nationals of EU, European Economic Area and Switzerland);
*Students, studying abroad and holders of permanent residence permit in Slovenia (€150).
From 1 January to 30 June 2021, the state gave additional support to Red Cross and Caritas for distributing the food to about 200,000 people. The support is provided by the Fund for European Aid for the Most Deprived. Red Cross will receive €6,000 for each distribution centre a month and Caritas €1,000.
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29 December 2020
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The seventh COVID-19 law (ZIUPOPDVE), adopted by the Parliament on 29 December 2020, reintroduces one-time solidarity allowance for retirees, children, students, large families and farmers.
Eligible are retirees and unemployed disabled persons with the income below €714 a month. Bonus varies with the income a person receives. It is €300 for pensioners with €510 a month and less, €230 for those with pensions between €510.01 and €612, and €130 for those with pensions between €612.01 and €714.
The law provides a €50 one-time allowance to all children up to the age of 18 years. Parents or foster parents, who are not recipients of the child benefit, must apply for the one-time allowance.
Large families receive an extra bonus each month until the end of the epidemic, families with three children €100 and larger families €200. Recipients of childcare allowance get a monthly allowance from October to the end of the epidemic.
Students and farmers above 65 years of age whose income is below €591.20 receive a one-time allowance of €150.
Parents receive the one-time allowance of €500 for a new-born baby. Eligible are all born from 1 January 2020 onwards. The measure will expire one year after the end of the epidemic. Allowances will be paid on 31 March 2021 at the latest or three months after the birth.
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02 July 2020
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The ‘Act Determining the Intervention Measures to Contain the COVID-19 Epidemic and Mitigate its Consequences for Citizens and the Economy’ (ZIUZEOP-A) endows the right of one-time solidarity allowance to some
new groups
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Disabled persons who work part-time and are temporarily laid off or who cannot work due to force majeure receive same allowances as retired persons. The right of one-time allowance of €150 is given to the following groups: family assistants; recipients of family allowance; recipients of childcare allowance, persons on maternity or paternity leave; recipients of partial reimbursement for lost income due to care work; recipients of disability benefits; and recipients of war veterans allowances; foster parents.
Children, entitled to child benefits, receive €30 each.
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Use of measure
One-time solidarity bonus goes to vulnerable social groups whose situation particularly worsened due to the pandemic: retirees and unemployed disabled persons with income below €700 per month as well as recipients of social benefits and students. Large families exceptionally receive a bonus every month until the end of the epidemic.
The government paid off about €88 million given to almost 5.5 million people (or about a quarter of all population). The largest groups of beneficiaries are pensioners receiving €66 million of state support (310,000 people), recipients of social benefit and/or income support receiving €7.5 million (49,728 persons), students receiving €6.8 million (45,250 people) and recipients of child benefits receiving €5.7 million (125,402 people).
Target groups
Actors and funding
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Actors
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Funding
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National government
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National funds
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Social partners
Social partners' role in
designing the measure
and form of involvement:
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Trade unions
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Employers' organisations
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Role
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Unknown
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Unknown
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Form
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Not applicable
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Not applicable
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Social partners' role in the
implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
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Unknown
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Main level of involvement: Unknown
Involvement
The two COVID-19 laws (ZIUZEOP and ZIUZEOP-A) were adopted under an accelerated procedure with no involvement of the Economic and Social Council. Its functioning was blocked because the new government, which came to power on 13 March 2020, had not appointed its members in the Economic and Social Council. On 20 April, trade unions protested against the exclusion of social partners in the preparation of the second emergency law (ZIUZEOP-A). They demanded the reactivation of the Economic and Social Council. The first meeting of the Economic and Social Council was held not before 15 May 2020. The Council then became involved in negotiations about the third emergency law ZIUOOPE, issued on 30 May 2020.
Views and reactions
Trade unions and employer organizations have submitted proposals to the law. Employer organizations had no remarks linked to this measure. Trade unions proposed that also other groups in precarious employments would receive one-time solidarity allowance. This proposal was taken into consideration in the second COVID-19 law (ZIUZEOP-A from 30 April 2020).
Sources
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10 April 2020: Zakon o interventnih ukrepih za zajezitev epidemije COVID-19 in omilitev njenih posledic za državljane in gospodarstvo (ZIUZEOP) [Act Determining the Intervention Measures to Contain the COVID-19 Epidemic and Mitigate its Consequences for Citizens and the Economy
(www.pisrs.si)
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30 April 2020: Zakon o interventnih ukrepih za zajezitev epidemije COVID-19 in omilitev njenih posledic za državljane in gospodarstvo, ZIUZEOP-A [Act Determining the Intervention Measures to Contain the COVID-19 Epidemic and Mitigate its Consequences for Citizens and the Economy
(www.uradni-list.si)
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30 December 2020: Act Determining Intervention Measures to Assist in Mitigating the Consequences of the Second Wave of COVID-19 Epidemic (Zakon o interventnih ukrepih za pomoč pri omilitvi posledic drugega vala epidemije COVID-19, ZIUPOPDVE
(pisrs.si)
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04 February 2021: Act on Additional Measures for Mitigation of Consequences COVID-19 (Zakon o dodatnih ukrepih za omilitev posledic COVID-19, ZDUOP
(www.pisrs.si)
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29 December 2021: Act on Additional Measures to Stop Spreading and Mitigate, Control, Recover and Eliminate the Consequences of COVID-19 (Zakon o dodatnih ukrepih za preprečevanje širjenja, omilitev, obvladovanje, okrevanje in odpravo posledic COVID-19, ZDUPŠOP), Official Gazette, No. 206/200
(www.pisrs.si)
