The Ministry of Welfare (LM) plans to simplify the process for receiving parental benefits, childcare benefits, and other forms of material support, LM Deputy State Secretary Diāna Jakaite told the Saeima Social and Labour Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
According to Jakaite, ministry experts have examined issues parents face when applying for benefits and asked the State Social Insurance Agency (VSAA) to pay closer attention to the specific problems parents report. She noted that many parents are confused about how many benefits they are entitled to and the choice between the 19-month and 13-month childcare benefit periods.
Jakaite acknowledged that the current support system is fragmented, and the ministry’s goal is to streamline procedures in the near future. She estimated that clarity on the reform direction could be achieved by next summer.
During the meeting, MPs discussed a proposal to split the childcare benefit between parents. Opposition MP Raivis Dzintars (National Alliance) urged the ministry to carefully weigh the risks and benefits of allowing or not allowing such division.
State Secretary Ingus Alliks stressed that
the most unpredictable factor in social policy is human behavior.
He noted that while LM has considered other measures to strengthen mothers’ social security and ensure pension capital, the current reform concepts do not include dividing the benefit, as such a change could create “side effects from other areas.”
Minister of Welfare Reinis Uzulnieks (ZZS) also called splitting the childcare benefit risky.
MP Zane Skujiņa-Rubene (New Unity) asked how far the ministry had progressed in implementing automatic benefit allocation for new parents. She suggested collaboration with the State Revenue Service (VID) to integrate the process into the Electronic Declaration System (EDS). LM representatives replied that discussions were ongoing, and efforts continue to ensure that parents automatically receive information about all available support measures when a child is born.
However,
full automation may never be possible, as each child typically has two parents,
LM officials noted.
The committee also reviewed planned welfare measures for 2026–2028. MP Līga Rasnača (Progressives) raised concerns about inequality in pension payments, pointing out that the lowest pensions are under €300, while the highest reach €44,000. She asked whether the ministry intends to address this disparity.
LM representatives explained that contribution caps had long been lifted, but most people still receive pensions under €1,500. The ministry has proposed amendments to the State Pensions Law to set maximum limits for funeral and survivor’s benefits, preventing disproportionately high payouts in cases of very large pensions.
Minister Uzulnieks added that, in principle, pensions reflect lifetime earnings, though he acknowledged that indexation sometimes results in significant differences in amounts received.
MPs also discussed the employment situation of social workers, emphasizing the need to retain staff,
especially in Riga and the surrounding regions, where shortages are most acute. According to LM data, 33% of municipal social workers still lack insurance coverage, and resolving this issue in the next four to five years would require substantial additional investment.
At the end of the meeting, MPs gave conceptual approval to four draft laws: The State Budget Law for 2026 and the budget framework for 2026–2028; Amendments to the State Social Insurance Law; Amendments to the State Social Benefits Law and The Maternity and Sickness Insurance Law.
As reported, the government has approved a €565.5 million increase in funding for 2026 to support its key priorities — national security, families with children, and education, according to an informative report by the Ministry of Finance.
Of this, €94 million in 2026 will go toward support measures for families with children, with further increases to €88 million in 2027 and €107 million in 2028.
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