Background information

The Ministry of Welfare pointed out that although the situation of seniors and people with disabilities with regard to the payment of pensions, benefits or allowances has not changed, it should be noted that since the beginning of the pandemic there have been limited health services, planned operations, additional expenses for medicines and personal protective equipment. Overall, seniors and people with disabilities are considered as vulnerable group.

On 12 March 2021 the Government approved amendments to Law on the suppression of consequences of the spread of COVID-19 infection providing support for seniors and people with disabilities.

Content of measure

The one-time benefit in the amount of €200 will be paid to persons declared in Latvia, who from 1 March 2021 until the end of the emergency situation was receiving:

• old-age pension (including early retirement);
• disability pension;
• survivor's pension;
• a special state pension (it is paid to former deputies of the Supreme Council of Latvia);
• compensation for loss of ability to work;
• compensation for the loss of a breadwinner;
• state social security benefit;
• retirement pension if the retirement age has been reached, but no old-age pension has been granted.
• care allowance for a disabled child or allowance for adults with disabilities who need care (care allowance).

The benefit will be paid by the State Social Insurance agency without special application. Funding for benefits is set at €112.5 million.

Use of measure

According to the information provided by the SSIA, the annotation of the amendments to the law contains the following data: in January this year there were 511.9 thousand pension recipients living in Latvia (of which old-age pension recipients: 431,300, disability pension recipients: 73,000), 9,800 compensation recipients, 21,800 recipients of state social security benefit, 2,600 recipients of child special care benefit and 16,200 adults with disabilities who receive special care benefit.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Older citizens Disabled

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Social insurance Public support service providers	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Informed	Informed
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

Normally peak level social partners by institutional setting are informed on all changes in legislation. Specific involvement for this measure is not reported.

Views and reactions

No specific views to report.

Sources

• 14 March 2021: EUR 200 benefit for pensioners and people with disabilities - to whom and when will it be paid? (lvportals.lv)
• 17 April 2021: Law on the Suppression of Consequences of the Spread of COVID-19 Infection (17 April 2021) (likumi.lv)