If you have obtained the status of a refugee or a person under subsidiary protection, and have no means to support yourself, you are eligible for social assistance for the beginning of a new life in Latvia.
Allowance to refugees and persons under subsidiary protection to cover their subsistence costs
The allowance will be granted to you as financial support to help you pay your subsistence costs over a certain period. A refugee is paid the allowance for 10 months, a person under subsidiary protection – for 7 months within a period of 12 months from the day the respective status was granted. If you start working in Latvia, the allowance will be paid to you along with the salary for no more than 3 months.
If you do not work, the allowance will be paid to you after you register with SEA, acquire the status of an unemployed person or a job seeker and perform the duties of an unemployed person or a job seeker, including studying Latvian.
This allowance is also granted to a minor child. In such case, one of the parents or the legal representative of the child must apply for it and it will be paid to him/her.
The amount of the allowance:
- for an adult – EUR 139.00 per month,
- if two persons are spouses, one of them will be paid EUR 139.00, and the other – EUR 97.00 per month,
- a minor will be paid EUR 97.00 per month.
State social allowances
The government has also established state social allowances to provide financial support to certain groups of population or in certain situations of life (for example, to families with children, people with disabilities, etc.).
| SOCIAL ALLOWANCES | ASYLUM SEEKERS | PERSONS UNDER SUBSIDIARY PROTECTION | REFUGEES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family state benefit | ineligible | ineligible | eligible |
| Additional payment to the family state benefit for a disabled child | ineligible | ineligible | eligible |
| Childcare allowance | ineligible | ineligible | eligible |
| Childbirth allowance | ineligible | ineligible | eligible |
| Care allowance for a disabled child | ineligible | ineligible | eligible |
| State social security benefit (disability, old age or survivor’s benefit) | ineligible | ineligible | eligible |
| Allowance to a disabled person, who requires care | ineligible | ineligible | eligible |
State social security allowances
If you work and pay social security contributions, you are entitled to state social security allowances.
The state social insurance scheme guarantees compensation of certain income to a person in case of its loss – if he/she becomes unemployed, in case of sickness, during pre-natal and post-natal period, after reaching the retirement age, in case of an accident or occupational disease, as well as for surviving dependants and in other cases. The amount of social insurance services (pensions, allowances and compensations) is determined individually and depends on one’s work-related income, from which social insurance contributions were paid previously.
Employees – refugees and persons under subsidiary protection – are entitled to the following allowances, if they qualify based on all other criteria for granting the particular allowance:
- unemployment benefit,
- sickness benefit,
- maternity benefit,
- paternity benefit,
- parental allowance,
- old age pension,
- disability pension,
- survivor’s pension,
- compensation for the loss of working capacity due to an accident at work or occupational disease.
To receive an allowance you are eligible for, an application for granting the allowance must be submitted to the State Social Insurance Agency.
Information about the types of available allowances and their amount can be obtained from the State Social Insurance Agency. Information is available in Latvian, English and Russian.
E-mail for consultations: konsultacijas@vsaa.lv
Assistance provided by the municipality
If you have declared your place of residence, you may request social assistance from the Social Service in the town of your declared place of residence. The Social Service will evaluate the possibility to help you and the extent of such assistance. You can obtain information about the social services and social assistance provided by the municipality from your municipality.
You can obtain information about social assistance provided by Riga municipal authorities on the website of Riga City Council Welfare Department in Latvian and Russian, or by calling toll-free information hotline at 80005055.
If you live in any other town in Latvia, look for information about the location and contact information of the Social Service on the website of that town.
Services of a social worker and social mentor
Asylum seekers, refugees and persons under subsidiary protection have the right to the services of a social worker and social mentor.
Social workers and social mentors will act as your advisers and assistants, will cooperate with you and your family, help you to integrate into Latvian society and settle down in Latvia, for example, register with the State Employment Agency and a general practitioner, open a bank account, assist in your search for housing and declaration of your place of residence, accompany you and your children to school.
If you require support and assistance, ask for advice form a social worker or social mentor.
The services of a social worker and social mentor will be available to you for 3 months from the moment of your arrival in Latvia or until such time when you are granted the status of a refugee or person under subsidiary protection. After obtaining the status of a refugee or person under subsidiary protection you will be entitled to this service for another 12 months.
The social worker and social mentor service will be terminated, if you leave Latvia during the period of the service.
Additional information about the assistance provided by social workers and social mentors is available from:
Society Integration Foundation
Aspazijas bulvāris 24, 3rd Floor, Riga, LV-1050
Phone: +371 67078226 (LV, EN, RU)
e-mail: info@sif.gov.lv