Social benefits are designed to support individuals whose income falls below the established minimum, providing financial assistance to improve their living conditions. This support enables citizens facing difficulties to live with greater dignity and confidence, knowing the state cares for their needs.
According to the Law on Social Protection, every individual or family in need of social assistance has the right to social protection to overcome social and life challenges and to meet their basic living needs. This right is exercised through the provision of social protection services and material support.
The Law on Social Protection stipulates the following material rights:
- Right to financial social assistance;
- Right to an allowance for assistance and care from another person;
- Right to an increased allowance for assistance and care from another person;
- Special monetary compensation;
- Training for work;
- One-off assistance.
Funding for financial social assistance, care allowances, and special monetary compensation is provided by the Republic of Serbia’s budget, while one-off assistance (in cash or kind) is administered by local self-government authorities.
Social welfare services are tailored for children, young people, families, adults, and the elderly and can be provided on a temporary or continuous basis, depending on the beneficiary’s needs.
The Law on Social Protection stipulates the following services:
- Accommodation services (home accommodation; accommodation with relatives, foster care or other family arrangements for adults and the elderly; shelter accommodation and other forms of housing);
- Daily community services (daycare, home help, etc.);
- Evaluation and planning services (assessments of beneficiary conditions, needs, strengths and risks; assessments of guardians, foster care and adoptive parents, etc.);
- Support services for independent living (supported housing; training for independent living, etc.);
- Advisory-therapeutic and social-educational services (intensive family crisis support; counselling and support for parents, foster parents, adoptive parents and others).
Decisions regarding the exercise of rights and the use of services prescribed by the Law on Social Protection are made by social welfare centres competent according to the place of permanent residence, or exceptionally according to the place of temporary residence.
Depending on the category of the applicant, the following social benefits may be available:
- Child allowance;
- Special financial allowance;
- Allowance for the support of beneficiaries in family care;
- Financial social assistance;
- Assistance and care provided by another person;
- Increased allowance for assistance and care provided by another person,
- Assistance for work training;
- Increased and time-limited financial social assistance;
- Other forms of material support (one-off assistance, soup kitchens, subsidies, etc.).
Special benefit under the population policy:
- Parental allowance