Nearly 689,000 pensioners whose monthly paychecks are under 4,360 kuna (€580) will be given a one-off energy allowance in October as part of the government's scheme to combat the increase in costs of living, the state agency Hina said on Thursday.

Pensioners eligible for this subsidy who get their pensions from abroad will be paid in December. This support is part of the government’s 21 billion kuna (€2.8 billion) scheme to help struggling households deal with rising energy prices and inflation which also includes some tax breaks and price caps for some products.

The payments to pensioners will cost the government 462.2 million kuna (€62 million).

The scheme identified four brackets, with the largest 1,200 kuna (€160) subsidy going to the poorest group, which includes some 97,000 pensioners with pensions of less than 1,850 kuna (€246) per month. Another 98,000 pensioners getting 1,850-2,350 kuna (€160-313) will claim 900 kuna (€120), and 300,000 pensioners with pensions from 2,350 to 3,350 kuna (€313-446) will be granted 600 kuna (€80). The top group, which includes 194,000 pensioners getting 3,350-4,360 kuna (€446-580) will be able to claim 400 kuna (€53).

Croatian citizens who receive both Croatian and foreign pension payments are required to submit evidence about their monthly pension until 30 November, and everyone whose total pension income is under 4,360  will be entitled to these payments, be disbursed in December.

Croatia has about 1.2 million pensioners, which is close to a third of its 3.9 million population. Therefore around 40 percent of pensioners – those who get pensions higher than 4,360 kuna (€580) will not be covered by this scheme.

(€1 = 7.52)