Parent’s Benefit as a social insurance service will be implemented from 1 January, 2008.

The following persons are entitled to receive this benefit – a citizen of Latvia who is insured, who is caring for a child younger than one year, provided this person is employed on the day the benefit is approved, that is, this person can be considered to be an employee or a self-employed person in accordance with the law on State Social Insurance.

The benefit is granted to one of the child’s parents, a custodian or another person who in accordance with a decision of the Orphan Court actually takes care of and raises the child.

The benefit is not granted if the other parent of the child is currently receiving a maternity benefit or child care benefit.

The benefit is given in accordance with the law on Maternity and Sickness Insurance articles 10.4, 10.5, and 10.6. and points 4 and 5 of the transitional provision of CM regulation No. 270, of 28 July, 1998. “Procedure Of Average Insurance Contribution Wage Calculation And The Procedure Of Allocation, Calculation And Payment Of The State Social Insurance Benefit".

When applying for the benefit, the following documents need to be submitted:

• Application for the benefit;
• Child’s birth certificate (with personal code);
• Copy of the court decision approving the adoption, if the benefit is requested by the adoptive parent;
• Orphan Court decision establishing guardianship, if the benefit is requested by the guardian;
• Orphan Court decision regarding the protection of the child’s personal interests in accordance the law of Orphan Court, article 18 Point 4, if the benefit is applied for by the person actually raising the child.

Documents can be submitted to any local Office of the SSIA.

When applying for the benefit a personal ID document has to be produced.

Parent’s benefit for a child up to one year old consists of:

• 70% of the average monthly insurance contribution wage, but no less than 70% of double the state social security benefit (currently 63 lats per month).

When caring for a child between 1 and 2 years old, a child care benefit of 30 lats per months is assigned both to employed and unemployed persons in accordance with regulations of the State Social Benefits Law and with the CM regulation of 8 August, 2006 No.644, article 2.4, „ Regulations Regarding The Amount Of Child Care Benefit And Additional Allowance For Twins Or More Children Born At One Birth, Review Procedures Thereof And Procedures For The Granting And Payment Of The Benefit And The Allowance”.

The average monthly insurance contribution wage is calculated for a period of 12 months (up to 31 December, 2009) in accordance with the regulations of Transitional Provisions point 5 of the law on Maternity and Sickness Insurance.

If the parent’s benefit is granted for twins or more children born at one birth, in addition to the benefit, an allowance of 50 lats per month is given for every additional child until the child is one year old, in accordance with the State Social Benefit law, article 7.4 and CM regulation No. 644 point 7 of 8 August, 2006, „ Regulations Regarding The Amount Of Child Care Benefit And Amount Of Allowances For Child Care Benefit For Twins Or More Children Born At One Birth, Review Procedures Thereof And Procedures For The Granting And Payment Of The Benefit And The Allowance”.

Parent’s Benefit is transferred to the beneficiary’s account at a bank or the postal account system (PNS).