Granting and disbursement of State family benefit

Families raising children are entitled to receive:

1. State family allowance (hereinafter – the allowance).
2. A supplement to the State family allowance for a child with a disability, regardless of whether the family is receiving the State family allowance.

The allowance and the supplement can be received by a person:

• who, along with their child, resides permanently in Latvia (Latvian citizens, non-citizens, foreigners, and stateless persons);
• who, along with their child, has been assigned a personal identity number.

The allowance is granted to:

• one of the child's parents;
• a guardian or adoptive parent;
• the actual caregiver of the child (including foster families), as determined by a decision of the Orphans' Court;
• the child themselves after reaching the age of 18, if they were previously in out-of-family care.

The allowance may be granted to a spouse who is not the child’s parent, if the child’s parent (the other spouse) gives written consent to the allowance being received by the spouse, provided that:

• there is a registered marriage between the child’s parent and the allowance applicant;
• the parent who gives consent has been granted the allowance for that child.

The allowance is not granted:

• if the person has a temporary residence permit in Latvia.

Tulkojums sagatavots ar mašīntulkošanas rīku

Amount of the State family allowance

• for one child – €25;
• for two children – €100 (€50 per child);
• for three children – €225 (€75 per child);
• for four or more children – €100 per child.

The total number of children also includes children actually raised by the family based on a decision by the Orphans’ Court, as well as adopted and guardian-placed children.

Amount of the Supplement to the State family allowance for a Child with a Disability

• €160 per month for each child with a disability.

Tulkojums sagatavots ar mašīntulkošanas rīku

The allowance is granted:

• For each child being raised in the family from the day the child turns 1 year old until the age of 16 (until the day the child turns 16).
• For children aged 16 to 20 (until the day the child turns 20), the allowance is paid if the child is studying in a general or vocational education institution and is not married.
• For a child with a disability, the bene allowance fit continues after the age of 16, regardless of whether the child is studying or not. The allowance is paid until the child turns 20 or gets married, whichever comes first.

Main conditions for receiving the allowance after age 16:

• For children who turn 16 and continue studying, the State Social Insurance Agency (VSAA) pays the allowance until September 30 (inclusive). The allowance is not suspended during the summer months.
• If the child continues education in the new school year, allowance payment continues from October 1. This applies if the child is studying up to and including grade 11.
• If the child is in grade 12 (the final year), allowance payment ends on July 1.
• The allowance is also paid to students attending vocational education institutions. For graduating students, payment also ends on July 1.
• If VSAA receives information from the Ministry of Education and Science that the child is no longer studying (e.g., voluntarily left school, or was removed from student lists), the allowance ends on the first day of the month following the month in which the studies ended.

If the child studies abroad

The allowance applicant must submit a certificate from the foreign educational institution to the VSAA. This certificate must clearly show that the person mentioned is enrolled in general or vocational education during the specified period.

Documents issued abroad must comply with legalization requirements, and if they are in a foreign language, a translation may be required.

Payment to One Parent or Spouse

Parents must agree on which one of them will receive the allowance for the child. The amount will be higher if one parent applies for the allowance for all children.

For example:

• If two parents separately receive the allowance for their two children (one each), they receive €25 per child, totaling €50.
• If one parent applies for both children, they would receive €100 (i.e. €50 per child based on two-child calculation).

In such cases, the following must be submitted to the VSAA:

1. One parent’s application to voluntarily transfer of the allowance.
2. The other parent's application to apply for the allowance for the additional child.

If Each Spouse Has Children from Previous Relationships

Each may be receiving the allowance for their own child. However, it is possible to consolidate the allowance under one spouse for all jointly raised children, including the stepchildren. This results in a higher allowance amount.

The following documents must be submitted to the VSAA:

1. The spouse currently receiving the allowance must submit a voluntary  transfer permit of the allowance, agreeing to transfer the right to the other spouse.
2. The other spouse (not the child’s parent) must submit an application to be granted the allowance.

Allowance payment will stop on the first day of the following month, and only after that can the allowance be assigned to the other parent or spouse.

Supplement to the State Family allowance for a Child with a Disability

The supplement is granted if the State Medical Expert Commission (VDEĀVK) has determined that the child has a disability.

• The supplement is granted from the date the disability is determined until the child turns 18, regardless of the State Family allowance payment status.

If the commission has also determined:

• Special care needs, or
• Eligibility for transportation expense compensation,
  then the family is also entitled to:
• Care benefit for a child with a disability,
• Transportation cost compensation benefit.

The allowance and Supplement Are Suspended If:

• The child is placed in:
  • a long-term social care or rehabilitation institution,
  • a foster family,
  • a penal institution, or
  • a social correctional education institution,
  • or if a guardian is appointed, except in cases where:
    • the guardian is a minor parent, or
    • a special decision by the Orphans’ Court is made due to the child's interests, because the current caregiver is not actually raising or caring for the child.
• The recipient is placed in:
  • a long-term social care and rehabilitation institution, or
  • a penal institution.
• The recipient or the child moves abroad permanently.

Allowance or Supplement for a Spouse Who Is Not the Child's Parent

Payment is also stopped if:

• SSIA receives an application from the child's parent (the other spouse) to receive the allowance instead.
• The marriage is dissolved.
• The child’s parent (spouse) passes away.
• The parent’s custody rights are suspended or revoked.

How the allowance and Supplement Are Paid

• Payments can be made to a Latvian bank account or Postal Settlement System (PNS) account.
• If the ben allowance efit is granted under international social security agreements or EU/EEA regulations, and the recipient resides in an EU/EEA country or a treaty country, the allowance can be transferred to a foreign bank account.

The allowance and supplement are paid monthly, for the current month (e.g. paid in May for May).

Tulkojums sagatavots ar mašīntulkošanas rīku

Example.

Granting of an benefit to a spouse who is not the child's parent

Anna and John got married. They are raising 3 children together. Anna has 2 children born in a previous marriage. John has one child from a previous relationship.

Before 31.12.2021.

Anna receives a state family benefit and a supplement for two children who are brought up and receives an benefit of 44.14 euros per month.

John – 11.38 euros per month.

Total for family: 55.52 euros

From 01.12.2022

By submitting the application to the SSIA, John refuses to receive the further benefit and agrees that Anna will receive it in the future. Anna, on the other hand, requests the benefit. The amount of the new benefit for 3 children is 225 euros per month, 75 euros for each child.

If such a choice is not made and they continue to receive benefits separately, then Anna will receive 100 euros, but John 25 euros. The total for the family will be 125 euros.

Question

Can an application for state family benefit be submitted only after the child has reached the age of 1?

The answer

Irrespective of the fact that the state family benefit is granted from the age of one, one of the child's parents can claim this benefit immediately after the birth of the child, so that later, in the care of the child, he or she does not forget to do so.

For example: an application for state family benefit may be submitted together with an application for childcare benefit or childbirth benefit.

The benefit will be granted and paid by the SSIA from the date from which you are entitled to receive it.

Examples of how state family benefit is paid for children who continue to study after the age of 16

Example 1: Dace finished the 9th grade this year and will continue studies in high school. The SSIA will pay the benefit until September 30 and this autumn, at the beginning of the new school year, after receiving information from the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) that Dace will continue to study in the 10th grade of high school – will continue to pay the state family benefit. The benefit will also be paid if Dace continues her education at a vocational school.

Example 2: Edgars is 19 years old. He finished 12th grade this year. In the next school year, he will learn the profession of carpenter in a vocational education institution. The SSIA paid the state family benefit for Edgars until June 30. At the beginning of the new school year, receiving information from the MES that Edgars is studying at a vocational school, the SSIA will grant the benefit for July and August and will continue to pay it for the new school year while Edgars is studying, but not beyond the age of 20.

Example 3: John studies at a vocational education institution, acquiring a 4-year education. This year he completed the 1st year. The SSIA will pay the state family benefit for John until September 30. At the beginning of the new school year, receiving information from the MES that John continues to study in the 2nd year of this educational institution, the SSIA will continue to pay the state family benefit.

Question

Is the benefit paid if the child is studying at a higher educational institution?

The answer
No, the state family benefit is not paid if the child is studying at a higher educational institution.

Question

If the child for whom the state family benefit is received has his or her 20th birthday on October 15, for what period will the benefit be paid?

The answer
The benefit in October will be paid for the period from 1 October to 14 October (inclusive), i.e. for the October days before the 20th birthday. The benefit is calculated in proportion to the number of days. For example, if the amount of the benefit is 25 euros per month, for days before 14 October it will be paid (25:31) x 14 = 11.20 euros.