Background information

The Ministry of Welfare pointed out that during an emergency, families with children face additional problems: parents are forced to invest a lot of their resources in order to be able to combine work responsibilities and raising children without losing their jobs.

The Ministry points out that it must be taken into account that both parents and students must be able to work and study remotely, and families lack computers to fully provide this.

On 18 February 2021 the Government approved amendments to Law on the suppression of consequences of the spread of COVID-19 infection providing support for families with children.

Content of measure

To reduce the negative consequences of the spread of COVID-19 infection and mitigate the tension, the state will pay a one-time support payment of €500 per child to one of the parents or the person raising the child.

The benefit will be paid for each child to people who, in the period from 1 March 2021 until the end of the emergency, is entitled to childcare allowance for a child under one years of age, family state benefit or supplement to family state benefit for a disabled child, or due to the birth of a child is entitled to maternity benefit and the child is born until the end of the emergency.

That means, that support is provided for all children under the age of 15 and between the ages of 15 and 20 for those in education, as well as for children born before the end of the current emergency.

The benefit will be paid by the State Social Insurance agency without special application. The allocated budget is €182 million.

Use of measure

Ministry of Welfare estimates that benefit will be paid for 364,097 children.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Children (minors)

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:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

Peak level social partners are normally informed on all changes in legislation by institutional settings. Specific involvement for this benefit is not reported.

Views and reactions

No specific views to report.

Sources

• 18 February 2021: The Saeima approves a one-time benefit of 500 euros for each child (www.lsm.lv)
• 24 February 2021: State support for each child - 500 euros. 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)