Latvia plans pension supplement for child care periods
The Demography Council has conceptually supported introducing a monthly state social benefit supplement to old-age pensions for each month spent caring for a child. Several other family support measures were also backed.
The Latvian Demography Council, chaired by Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, gave conceptual support on July 3 to introducing a new monthly state social benefit for old-age pension recipients – for each month spent on child care. The supplement would be paid on top of the regular pension.
The council decided that funds freed up by reviewing expenditures should be prioritized for demographic policy measures. Plans include strengthening material support for families by reviewing the family state benefit, and finding ways to individually compensate insurance periods from 1991 to 1995.
Conceptual support was also given to a parental benefit reform, subsidies for mortgage principal repayment when a child is born and the family has an active Altum housing guarantee, and expanding services such as psychotherapy, the “Child’s House” service, and family assistant.
The Ministry of Welfare has been tasked with drafting necessary legislative amendments by November 1, 2027. The Ministries of Justice, Education and Science, and Culture will continue work on expanding services in preparation for the 2028 budget.
Kulbergs stated that demography is a government priority and decisions must be made regularly and long-term. Welfare Minister Reinis Uzulnieks emphasized the need for consistent, long-term action and that a clear work plan is being left for the next government.
The next Demography Council meeting is scheduled for October.
