Disability status in Latvia only partially fulfills its intended purpose, while the support system is fragmented and unequal, according to the State Audit Office of Latvia (SAO).
The SAO notes that no single institution in Latvia assesses the overall needs of a person with a disability in terms of health, social support, mobility, and daily functioning. As a result, access to support largely depends on the individual’s own knowledge—or that of their relatives—and their ability to navigate a fragmented system.
In 2024, Latvia had more than 221,000 people with disabilities, a figure that has increased by over 15% since 2018.
In 2024, the state allocated at least €1.039 billion—6.4% of total state budget expenditure—for disability assessment and support, while municipalities contributed at least an additional €20 million. A significant share of this funding is spent on pensions and benefits, while a smaller portion goes to services that help people cope with daily challenges, such as care, transport, rehabilitation, and home adaptation.
The SAO concludes that
while disability assessment generally complies with legal requirements, the process is not optimally organized.
For example, referrals for disability assessments are still prepared on paper, and electronic preparation via the e-health system will only become possible in 2029.
At the same time, the State Medical Commission for the Assessment of Health and Working Ability (VDEĀVK) does not have access to data held by other institutions on medical examinations, assistive devices, care received, or rehabilitation. As a result, this information must largely be compiled by general practitioners, increasing administrative burden.
The SAO emphasizes that a medical approach still dominates disability assessment, while the transition to evaluating functioning and activity limitations in line with the World Health Organization’s classification has been delayed. The new approach is currently planned to be implemented only in 2030.
Auditors also point to capacity problems within VDEĀVK: around 60% of experts work above the optimal workload, and decisions are not always made within the required timeframe.
The situation is further exacerbated by VDEĀVK’s responsibility for extending sick leave certificates beyond 26 weeks
—a task that, by its nature, belongs to the healthcare sector, the SAO notes. This function alone requires the equivalent of about four full-time medical experts annually. According to auditors’ estimates, transferring this responsibility to the health sector could reduce decision delays by up to 46%. The SAO stresses the need to review both staffing levels and assigned tasks to ensure sustainable and timely disability assessment.
Overall, the support system is described by the SAO as fragmented and unequal, particularly at the municipal level, where the availability and scope of services vary significantly depending on place of residence.
Auditors recall that in December 2024, legislation established a minimum basket of social services to be fully implemented by 2029. However, in 2025, municipalities provide only two of the seven services that should be available to persons with functional impairments.
For example,
group home (apartment) services for people with mental disabilities are currently available in only 38 municipalities.
Care support is identified as a particularly serious issue: it is fragmented, insufficient, and difficult to administer, as a single need is addressed through several instruments, none of which is adequate on its own.
The SAO reports that 63.6% of children and 83.2% of adults with very severe functional impairments who receive the state care allowance do not use municipal care services. At the same time, the state care allowance does not even cover average service costs, which exceed the benefit amount by at least €220.
According to the SAO, the Ministry of Welfare of Latvia currently plans only to increase the state care allowance, with implementation envisaged from 2030. Auditors believe this will not significantly improve the situation, as for many people care services will still not be available in the necessary volume. The SAO stresses that
the funding intended for increasing the allowance should primarily be invested directly in care services themselves.
Auditors also identify shortcomings in transport support, which is fragmented and insufficiently targeted. The state allowance for transport cost compensation—€105 per six months—covers only a small portion of actual mobility expenses. Meanwhile, vehicle adaptation services are too narrowly defined, as they mainly apply to cases where the person with a disability drives the vehicle themselves. The SAO also notes that the process for obtaining disabled parking permits is not user-friendly, as permits are issued by the Road Traffic Safety Directorate, even though the necessary information is already available to VDEĀVK.
The SAO reports that it has issued nine recommendations to the Ministry of Welfare aimed at enabling disability status to serve as a basis for targeted support in the future. These include improving information exchange, strengthening VDEĀVK’s capacity, and better aligning state and municipal support with people’s actual needs rather than formal criteria.
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