European Foundation
for the Improvement of
Living and Working Conditions

The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist
in the development of better social, employment and
work-related policies

EU PolicyWatch

Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure LV-2022-45/2909 – measures in Latvia

Additional support for vulnerable groups to address energy price increases

Papildus atbalsts noteiktām iedzīvotāju grupām lai mazinātu energoresursu cenu pieauguma negatīvo ietekmi

Country Latvia , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 01 November 2022 – 31 May 2023
Context War in Ukraine, Cost of Living Crisis
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery into a green future
– Increasing income in general
Author Kriss Karnitis (EPC) and Eurofound
Measure added 15 September 2022 (updated 06 July 2023)

Background information

In order to help the most vulnerable population groups cope with the negative impact of the increase in energy prices and general inflation, the government decided on an additional state benefit for 7 months. The assistance package is included in the amendments to the law On measures to reduce the extraordinary increase in energy prices, adopted by the Parliament (Saeima) on 11 August 2022 as a matter of urgency. The amendments came into force on 13 August 2022.

Content of measure

From 1 November 2022 to 31 May 2023, the state allowance will be paid to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and persons who have lost their breadwinners. They will have a different amount depending on the pension income:

  • €30 per month, if the amount of pension, compensation or state social security benefit does not exceed €300 per month;
  • €20 per month, if the amount of pension, compensation or state social security benefit is between €301 and €509 per month;
  • €10 per month, if the amount of pension, compensation or state social security benefit is between €510 and €603;
  • €30 per month for a person who receives a supplement to the state family allowance for a child with a disability; for a person with a refugee or alternative status who has reached retirement age or has a certain disability and has not reached old-age pension age.

Benefits will be paid by the State Social Insurance Agency (VSAA). To persons who receive any of the services administered by VSAA, the benefit will be paid without a special application.

Use of measure

It is expected that 505,000 persons will receive the benefit. The preliminary funding required for the benefit package is €23,088,181 in 2022 and €59,891,749 in 2023.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Does not apply to businesses Disabled
Other groups of citizens
Pensioners

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
Social insurance
National funds

Social partners

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

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role No involvement as case not in social partner domain No involvement as case not in social partner domain
Form Not applicable Not applicable

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

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

No involvement.

Views and reactions

No specific views to report.

Sources

  • 12 August 2022: Support for households for partial compensation of heating season expenses is enshrined in law (lvportals.lv)
  • 01 September 2022: Law on measures to reduce the extraordinary increase in energy resource prices (likumi.lv)

Citation

Eurofound (2022), Additional support for vulnerable groups to address energy price increases, measure LV-2022-45/2909 (measures in Latvia), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/LV-2022-45_2909.html

Share

Eurofound publications based on EU PolicyWatch

30 January 2023

 

Measures to lessen the impact of the inflation and energy crisis on citizens

Governments across the EU continue to implement policies to support citizens and businesses in the face of rising food and energy prices caused by the COVID-19 crisis and intensified by the war in Ukraine. This article summarises the policy responses as reported in Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch database from January to September 2022.

Article

12 September 2022

 

First responses to cushion the impact of inflation on citizens

Although the worldwide pandemic situation had already disrupted supply chains and triggered increases in energy and food prices in 2021, the situation deteriorated in 2022 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Article

12 September 2022

 

Policies to support EU companies affected by the war in Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses that governments across the EU have started to implement to support companies affected by the rising prices, and those with commercial ties to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus.

Article

5 July 2022

 

Policies to support refugees from Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses of EU Member States, including those of the social partners and other civil society actors, enabling refugees to exercise their rights under the Temporary Protection Directive.

Article

Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.