In the country, 10% of children are raised by one parent. It is not always that the other willingly pays child support. In that case, 67% of them (of the minimum set by the law) are granted by the Maintenance Guarantee Fund (UGF), which is made up of state grants and funds recovered from parents in the recourse procedure (the so-called alimony).
This year, the amount to be paid to a child is increased: up to the age of 7, it will be 125 euros instead of the previous 107.50 euros, and 150 euros – up to the age of 21 (previously it was 129 euros). Such an increase was achieved without additional budget funding, but because the volume of recovered debts increased.
The number of debtors does not change
Parents are obliged to allocate 25% of the minimum salary, or 175 euros per month, for the maintenance of the child up to the age of 7, and 30%, or 210 euros, for up to 18 years of age. If the child is raised by one of the parents, but the other does not provide the mentioned amount (including not complying with the court ruling on this), it is partly covered by the UGF. The amount paid is recovered from the parent on whose behalf it was paid. Last year (until November 30), 25,744 applicants were provided with maintenance, in 2023 – 26,438, in 2022 – 27,248, in 2021 – 28,504, but they were received by 40,853 children, 42,207, 43,280 respectively. and 45,819.
The number of debtors has remained almost constant over the years – around 42,000. Explanation – although the disbursement of funds from the fund has ended, the debtor still continues to pay this amount. The amount paid out decreases over the years – in 2021 they were 55.9 million euros, last year in 11 months – 45.6 million euros. The total debt amounts to 571,950,439 euros, of which the principal debt is 125,721,188 euros, the rest is legal interest (21.98%). By year, the amount of funds recovered against disbursed is as follows: in 2021 – 26.06%, in 2022 – 29.08%, in 2023 – 31.92%, last year (until 30.11) – 33.38% . For example, the amount recovered last year was 15.2 million euros, UGF Administration Director Edgars Līcītis informed at the meeting of the Social and Labor Affairs Commission of the Saeima.
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