Welfare Minister proposes one-off aid for pensioners and disabled persons

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Welfare Minister Ramona Petraviča (KPV LV) has proposed a one-off €200 payment to pensioners and people with disabilities, the Ministry of Welfare said February 11.

Petraviča suggested that one-off financial support to overcome the crisis difficulties of Covid-19 should be paid to old-age pensioners, disability pension beneficiaries and persons benefiting from state social security benefits.

The Minister presented the idea at a Coalition Party Cooperation meeting. This week, the coalition also discussed the one-off allowance for families – €500 per child, but after a lively debate the politicians did not agree.

"Pensioners and people with special needs face difficulties during the crisis, and their daily expenses have risen by  purchasing protective equipment – masks, disinfectants, medicines to strengthen the immune system. It is difficult and often impossible for these people to get help from children or relatives. In addition, all these people are in the Covid-19 risk group,” Petraviča said in a statement.

Although the detailed proposal has not yet been debated, one of the options calculated by the Ministry of Welfare foresees a fixed one-off benefit of €200 for all old-age and disabled pensions, as well as social security beneficiaries.

Such one-off aid would cost around €100 million altogether.

The Minister for Welfare pointed out that such assistance was already provided by neighboring Lithuania, whose one-off €200 allowance was paid to all old-age pensioners, people with special needs and other population groups.

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