Continuing to improve state support activities for residents, Latvia’s government approved amendments during a meeting on June 2, that provided for paying idleness assistance benefits to three groups of self-employed persons, as reported by Welfare Ministry.
Amendments provide eligibility to receive idleness assistance benefits for certain self-employed persons. This benefit will be available to self-employed persons who were previously denied by State Revenue Service (VID) because tax audit and data assessment results showed that additional set payments for self-employed persons exceeded EUR 1,500 or if their payments did not exceed EUR 1,500, but at the time of application review the penalty calculated for violations had not yet been paid to the state budget and no payment schedule had been agreed upon with VID.
Idleness assistance benefits would become available if the regular idleness benefit was declined because the applicant was, at the time, penalized for violations committed in regards to tax debts, customs or violations of regulations, except for cases when warnings or a fine that did not exceed EUR 151 was issued and the total annual penalty amount did not exceed EUR 500.
The idleness assistance benefit amount is EUR 180 per month.
Persons who receive idleness assistance benefits are also paid EUR 50 for every child under the age of 24 years in their care and for which residents receive PIT benefits. (BNN/Business World Magazine)