This chapter provides information about the survivor's pension (Apgādnieka zaudējuma pensija) in Latvia.

In what situation can I claim?

If one of your parents or a family member who was your breadwinner has died, you may claim a survivor's pension. The pension is granted to non-work-capable family members of the deceased, i.e. children, as well as sisters, brothers or grandchildren without work-capable parents.

Children have the right to receive the survivor's pension regardless of whether or not they were dependent on the deceased.

What conditions do I need to meet?

The survivor's pension (Apgādnieka zaudējuma pensija) may be claimed by the following non-work-capable family members:

• children younger than 18 years;
• adult children declared disabled before 18 years of age;
• brothers, sisters and grandchildren younger than 18 years without work-capable parents;
• adult brothers, sisters and grandchildren declared disabled before 18 years of age without work-capable parents.

Persons studying full time and aged between 18 and 24 years also have the right to claim survivor's pensions.

In case your breadwinner was not a socially insured person, children may be entitled to state social security benefit.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Amount of the survivor's pension

The survivor's pension is calculated from the possible old-age pension of the deceased:

The survivor's pension is paid once a month.

If the deceased was not socially insured, the children are granted a state social security benefit: EUR 136 per month for those aged under 7, EUR 163 per month otherwise.

If after the breadwinner's death the children are living with a number of families, each shall receive its share of the pension.

For orphans this amount is calculated for each parent separately and it cannot be below the above mentioned amounts. Personal income tax is withheld from the survivor's pension.

Application for this pension

You can apply for a survivor's pension by filling out a form in person at any State Social Insurance Agency (SSIA) branch (or by sending the completed form signed with an e-signature to the SSIA, of by e-application).

Together with the form you must also submit: the breadwinner's death certificate; documents proving the deceased's employment history up to 31 December 1995; a marriage or birth certificate or a court judgment on the fact of dependency; and a statement from an educational institution for any child who has reached 18 years of age or is studying full time and is aged between 18 and 24 years.

In order to continue receiving the survivor's pension if you move to a foreign country, every year from 1 October to 15 December you must submit an application by post or in person to the SSIA, to which a declaration from a notary public must be attached stating that the recipient is still alive.

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

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 loss of breadwinner (survivor's) pensions, and compensation for workplace accidents and work-related illnesses and healthcare services.

A breadwinner is a person obliged to provide for his or her dependents: spouse, children, grandchildren, parents or grandparents.

A dependent is a non-work-capable person who is partially or fully supported by the breadwinner.

Forms you may need to fill in

• Form for claiming survivor's pension to be submitted in person to the SSIA, e-mail (with e-signature) or e-application
• Form for paying out part of survivor's pension to be submitted in person to the SSIA or e-mail (with e-signature)
• Form for recalculating survivor's pension to be submitted in person to the SSIA or e-mail (with e-signature)
• Form for granting state social security benefits, if the breadwinner was not socially insured, to be submitted in person to the SSIA, by post, e-mail (with e-signature) or e-application.

Know your rights

See the links below for information on survivor's pensions. These are not European Commission websites and do not reflect the views of the European Commission:

• Social security in the European Union - information on social insurance periods if you have worked/lived in another EU country, as well as pensions and benefits you can continue to claim if you move to another Member State.

Latvian laws and regulations on survivor's pensions:

• Law on State Pensions
• Cabinet regulations on insurance periods, on the amount of state social security benefits for the survivor’s pension and on payment of the survivor's pension if you move to live abroad.

European Commission publication and website:

• EU Social Security Coordination

Who should I 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.