Latvia's Social Welfare System: Overview

Latvia's system is mainly insurance-based. Employees from age 15 and the self-employed pay state social insurance contributions (VSAOI), which fund pensions, unemployment, sickness, maternity, paternity and parental benefits. For employees the rate is 34.09% of gross pay: 10.50% paid by the employee and 23.59% by the employer (2026). The State Social Insurance Agency (VSAA) pays most benefits. Health care is organised by the National Health Service (NVD) and paid from the state budget, which receives 1 percentage point of the contribution rate. Social assistance and housing benefit come from your municipality's social service (sociālais dienests). The minimum monthly wage is €780 (2026).

Your residence status matters. Some benefits, such as the family state benefit and the childcare allowance, are not granted to people with a temporary residence permit. Citizens, Latvian non-citizens and permanent residents are covered on the same terms. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are protected by the EU coordination rules.

First registrations for newcomers:

• Personal code and residence: declare your place of residence within one month of moving in, at the municipality, at PMLP or free of charge online at latvija.gov.lv (€4.27 in person). Many benefits require an active status in the Register of Natural Persons.
• Payroll tax book (algas nodokļa grāmatiņa): registered with the State Revenue Service (VID) in its online system (EDS) so that your employer applies the non-taxable minimum.
• Family doctor: register with a family doctor (ģimenes ārsts), your entry point to state-funded care.
• Latvija.gov.lv: most VSAA, NVA and VID applications can be made online with an eID card or online-banking login.

The nine areas at a glance

• Health: state-funded care via NVD; patient fees such as €2 per family-doctor visit, capped at €570 a year.
• Pension: pension age 65 with at least 20 years of insurance; a funded second pillar for people born after 1 July 1971.
• Unemployment: benefit for up to 8 months after 12 months of contributions in the last 16; then the guaranteed minimum income benefit.
• Family: €600 childbirth benefit (2026), €298 a month childcare allowance until 1½ years, and a family state benefit from €25 a month per child.
• Tax: income tax 25.5%, 33% above €105,300 a year, with a €550 monthly non-taxable minimum (2026).
• Housing: written lease, deposit of at most 2 months' rent; municipal housing benefit and social housing.
• Education: compulsory from age 5 until basic education is completed or age 18; free public schools; state-guaranteed student loans.
• Parental: 112–140 days of maternity benefit at 80%, 10 working days of paternity benefit, and parental benefit for 13 or 19 months.

Things to watch

• Many amounts change on 1 January, and pensions were also indexed on 1 October 2026. Check the figures before you apply.
• Several benefits are paid only if you apply in time: for example, the childbirth benefit within 6 months of the birth.
• VSAA, NVA and VID publish their detailed rules in Latvian first; the English pages are shorter and sometimes older.

Official guidance: VSAA: changes in 2026, VSAA: about contributions, Ministry of Welfare: changes in 2026, PMLP: declaring your residence, Latvija.gov.lv