The state budget for 2026 promises dramatic cuts across all parameters, except for defense needs. And only demographics, according to officials, will be left alone.
The Ministry of Welfare is Authorized to State
The social issues in the country are handled by the Ministry of Welfare under the leadership of Rainis Uzulnieks ("Union of Greens and Farmers").
Plans for Family Benefits:
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42 million euros – for 2026
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42 million euros – for 2027
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57 million euros – for 2028.
Benefits for Children Growing Up in Foster Families:
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24.2 million in 2026
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26.4 million in 2027
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30.2 million in 2028.
The benefit for working parents will be maintained at 75%, for which 7.7 million will be allocated next year. Payments also apply to self-employed individuals.
Childbirth Benefit:
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in 2025 – 421.17 euros
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in 2026 – up to 600 euros
Child Care Benefit, Paid Until 1.5 Years:
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in 2025 – 171 euros
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in 2026 – up to 298 euros (there are plans to review it every 2 years).
Starting from 2026, family benefits will also be paid for children aged 16-20 who are studying full-time at higher education institutions.
Benefits for Guardians:
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for the maintenance of a child under 6 years: from the current 215 euros per month increased to 390 euros in 2026;
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for the maintenance of a child aged 7-17: from the current 258 euros to 468 euros;
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for "performing guardian duties": from the current 54.07 euros – to 298 euros, which is more than fivefold!
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social guarantees for unemployed guardians starting from 171 euros for accumulating insurance experience for pensions, unemployment, and disability;
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one-time adaptation benefit for a child: from the current 1422.87 euros to 2433 euros; for specialized foster families – up to 1560 euros;
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additionally, new support services are introduced – recreation, health insurance, and civil liability insurance.
Medical Assistance
Sanita Janka, Director of the Health Department of the Ministry of Health, stated:
– We have divided medical assistance for young families into 4 areas:
Primary Activities in Latvia:
- education on sexual and reproductive health;
- consultations with midwives for girls;
- educating parents about acute childhood diseases;
- promoting breastfeeding.
Secondary Prevention:
- preventive check-ups;
- reducing cardiovascular risks;
- screening for cardiovascular diseases for children aged 5-11;
- innovative screening for early childhood development (BAASIK);
- pilot project for vision and eye screening for children;
- genetic diagnostics for families with hereditary genetic diseases.
To Improve Health Care and Access to Medicines for Children:
- increase visits to pediatricians;
- availability of specialist and family doctor services;
- admission of children to day and regular hospitals;
- innovative procedures for safe and personalized vascular research;
- blood components and glasses will become more accessible for children;
- new items will appear in the list of reimbursable medications for children, increasing accessibility;
- children will receive specialized dental care in advanced cases;
- an oncological diagnosis will now be accompanied by a "red flag," under which all efforts will be directed to save the young patient;
- innovative, including precision (developed for a specific patient) medicine will be applied in pediatric oncology in Latvia.
Joy of Childbirth
The state now also promises to help:
- payment for more than 2 attempts at medical fertilization;
- expanding the circle of IVF recipients;
- more medications for infertility treatment;
- plans to create a functioning register of donor stem cells.
Programs for Future Mothers:
- advanced care for pregnant women, corresponding to clinical algorithms;
- pilot project for prenatal and postnatal care;
- educational home visit by a midwife;
- additional consultation at 12-14 weeks of pregnancy.
All women intending to give birth will receive:
- glucose tolerance test;
- in the third trimester, everyone will be provided with ultrasound;
- testing for complications during pregnancy – preeclampsia (high blood pressure and presence of protein in urine), non-invasive prenatal test NIPT (determines possible chromosomal abnormalities).
A Spoonful of Tar
Of course, all the aforementioned innovations can only be welcomed. One thing raises doubts: will the family and health budget become a hostage to the unfolding government crisis in Latvia? As noted by the parliamentary secretary of the Ministry of Welfare Krists Bergans-Bergis, he had to go through "very hostile discussions." And in the event of the fall of the cabinet of Evika Silina ("New Unity"), or the departure of the rebellious "green farmers," who actually caused the scandal around the notorious Istanbul Convention – they may throw the baby out with the bathwater.
