Funeral Allowance

The following persons are entitled to receive the funeral benefit:

• an insured person in the case of death of a family member who was dependent on this person;
• a family member of an insured person or a person who has actually undertaken the funeral arrangements if the deceased person was an insured person, an unemployed, a receiver of pension or state social insurance benefit.;
• a family member or a person who has undertaken the funeral arrangements if the insured person or a dependent family member has died within one month after the end of the contribution period.

The benefit is granted in accordance with:

• article 23 of the law On Maternity and Sickness Insurance;
• articles 12, 13 of the law Par On Unemployment Insurance;
• article 22 of the law On Mandatory Social Insurance against Job Accidents and Ocupational Diseases;
• article 37 of the law On State Pensions;
• article 14 of the law On State Social Benefits.

When applying for the funeral benefit the person must submit:

• Application for granting of the benefit;
• Notice of the registration of the fact of death issued on a special form by Civil Status Registration Office.

Additional documents to be submitted:

• if the deceased person was unemployed, - a notice from Employment State Agency testifying to the status of a unemployed on the day of death;
• if the cause of death is a job accident or an occupational disease, - a statement of a job accident or a statement of the identified occupational disease.

Documents can be submitted to any local office of the SSIA.

When applying for the benefit the person must produce a personal ID document.

The benefit can be claimed within 12 months from the day of death.

The average insurance contribution wage and the benefit amount is calculated in accordance with the CM Regulations No 270 from 28 July 1998 Procedure of average insurance contribution wage calculation and the procedure of allocation, calculation and payment of the state social security benefits and the CM Regulations No 50 from 16 February 1999 Procedure of allocation and calculation of insurance compensation of mandatory social insurance against job accidents and occupational diseases.

In case of the death of an insured person the funeral benefit allocated and paid is twofold the amount of the monthly average contribution wage of the deceased person.

In case of the death of a pensioner the funeral benefit allocated and paid is twofold the amount of the pension.

In case of the death of a dependent family member or an unemployed, the allocated funeral benefit is triple the amount of state social security benefit.

The Funeral benefit can be received at the post office of the Latvian Post, transferred to the beneficiary’s account at the bank or postal accounts system (PNS), or received in exchange of a single payment order or a bank cheque.