Here you will find information about benefits and leave for families with recently born children. This chapter will examine:

• childbirth allowance;
• maternity/paternity benefit;
• child raising allowance;
• parental benefit;
• state family benefits.

The amounts and conditions for granting each benefit differ depending on the child's age and the social insurance contributions you have paid.

In what situation can I claim?

You can be entitled to various benefits after the birth in order to compensate the loss of income from work and be supported during the period of childcare. The amount and conditions of benefits vary according to the child’s age and your employment status.

What conditions do I need to meet?

The childbirth allowance (bērna piedzimšanas pabalsts) is granted to:

• one parent for each child;
• the child's guardian, if the child has been placed under guardianship before reaching 1 year of age.

Claiming this benefit does not depend on paid social insurance contributions.

The child raising allowance (bērna kopšanas pabalsts) for a child aged up to 2 years is paid to one parent or another person caring for the child (a guardian, foster family or adopter).

Parental benefit (vecāku pabalsts) is paid to one parent or another person who is socially insured and is raising the child up to 8 years of age.

If twins or more children are born in a single birth, a supplement is paid.

Parental benefit and the child raising allowance may be paid simultaneously for caring for the same child, if one of the parents is not already claiming maternity benefit. Parental benefits may be paid not only to persons on maternity/paternity leave but also to working parents, but in this case the benefit amount will be lower.

Only one parent may claim the child raising allowance and parental benefits for caring for the same child during the same period. But the non-transferable part of the child raising allowance granted to each parent may be taken simultaneously by both.

State family benefit (ģimenes valsts pabalsts) is granted to one of the parents or another person caring for and raising a child from age 1 to 16. If the child continues his or her studies and has not married, the benefits can be claimed until the child reaches 20 years of age. A supplement is paid for a disabled child under 18 years of age.

Here you will find more information about the childbirth allowance and child raising allowance that are available for socially insured persons and those who can also be claimed if a person has not worked or paid social insurance contributions.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Childbirth allowance

The childbirth allowance is a one-off payment amounting to EUR 421.17 for each child.

Child raising allowance

Amount of benefits:

• If you are caring for a child up to 18 months old - EUR 171 per month.
• If you are caring for a child aged from 18 months to 2 years - EUR 42.69 per month.
• If you are caring for several children born in a single birth, a supplement is paid for each subsequent child. This amounts to EUR 171 per child up to 18 months old and EUR 42.69 per child from 18 months to 2 years.

Parental benefits

You can choose for how long and in what amount you receive parental benefits. Once the benefit has been granted, you cannot change your selection.

Duration and amount of the benefits:

• If you wish to receive the benefit for 13 months, the monthly pay-out will amount to 60% of your average insurance contribution wage.
• If you wish to receive the benefit for 19 months, the monthly pay-out will amount to 43.75% of your average insurance contribution wage.

If you are working or go back to work and terminate your maternity leave, you will be paid 50% of the granted benefit amount.

Your average contribution wage is calculated for the 12-month period ending 2 months (3 months for self-employed persons) before the benefit is granted.

State family benefits

Amount of benefits:

• EUR 25 per month in the case of one child;
• EUR 100 per month in the case of two children;
• EUR 225 per month in the case of three children;
• EUR 100 per month for each child in the case of four or more children;
• if you take care of a child with disability under the age of 18, you also receive a supplement of EUR 106.72 per month.

Applying for benefits

You can apply for the childbirth allowance, child raising allowance, parental benefits and state family benefits and supplements by:

• filling out a form in person at any State Social Insurance Agency (SSIA) branch;
• posting a completed form to the SSIA;
• emailing a completed form signed with an e-signature to the SSIA;
• e-application.

If the child has gone to school outside Latvia, a statement from the educational institution must be submitted together with your application for state family benefits.

Children from needy families could be entitled to social assistance benefits (see also page on Minimum resources benefit).

Documents issued outside the European Union, European Economic Area or Swiss Confederation or the UK must be legalised.

The portal Latvija.lv has information in e-service format regarding your social insurance payments and the amount of benefits, pensions and support payments you can claim using internet banking or your e-signature.

Jargon busters

The insurance contribution wage is the amount of income from which social insurance contributions have been paid. The average contribution wage is calculated over a 12-month period.

Social insurance contributions are legally mandated payments paid into a special budget account which give the right to socially insured persons to receive social insurance benefits stipulated by law, including unemployment, maternity, paternity, illness and parental benefits, disability, old age and survivor's pensions, and compensation for workplace accidents and work-related illnesses, and healthcare services.

Forms you may need to fill in

• Form for claiming benefits to be submitted to the SSIA in person, by post or e-mail (signed with an e-signature).
• Form for claiming benefits for caring for parents and children if one of the parents has worked/is working or lived/is living in the EU/EEA Member State/UK to be submitted to the SSIA in person, by post or e-mail (signed with an e-signature).

Know your rights

See the links below for information on your rights to claim family benefits. These are not European Commission websites and do not reflect the views of the European Commission.

• Family benefits in the European Union - information on benefits and social insurance contributions if you have worked/lived in another EU country.

Latvian laws and regulations on granting benefits:

• Law on State Social Insurance
• Law on State Social Allowances
• Law on Maternity and Sickness Insurance
• Cabinet regulations on claiming the childbirth allowance, claiming the child raising allowance, calculating the contribution wage and claiming parental benefits, and on claiming state family benefits.

European Commission publication and website:

• Family benefits: your rights in other European Union Member States

Who do you need to contact?

State Social Insurance Agency
Lacplesa iela 70a, Riga, LV-1011
Tel.: +371 64507020 (working days 8.30- 17.00)
Email: pasts@vsaa.gov.lv
Email for consultations: konsultacijas@vsaa.gov.lv, twitter.com/VSAA_LV
Branches in Riga and elsewhere

Ministry of Welfare
Skolas iela 28, Riga, LV-1331
Tel.: +371 80205100
Email: lm@lm.gov.lv
twitter.com/Lab_min

If you have any problems regarding your rights in the European Union, please contact the EU assistance service.