On 4th December, the Saeima approved the 2026 state budget, which will bring significant benefits to citizens in the areas overseen by the Ministry of Justice – from a safer everyday life to increased financial support for families with children. The 2026 budget priorities are security, health, family welfare, and quality education.
Justice Minister Inese Lībiņa-Egnere emphasizes: “The state budget has been adopted at a time when Latvia is strengthening its security and societal resilience in response to global challenges. Reducing social tensions against the backdrop of hybrid threats is a direct issue of state security – the stronger and fairer our society, the harder it is to divide or influence it. The 2026 budget also includes significant investments in families with children, education, and overall societal welfare. I am pleased that for the second consecutive year, we have secured funds to increase the amount of child support.”
Increased Child Support
From February 2026, parents will receive child support in the following amounts:
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For children up to 7 years old – €155 per month (currently €125)
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For children aged 7 to 18 and adult children up to 21 years old – €180 per month (currently €150)
Payments are made for the previous month, so the new amounts will take effect in February. These measures will be funded using recovered amounts through the recourse system, releasing €3,520,000 from the state budget allocation for child support payments.
Strengthening Internal Security and Penal System
The 2026 budget allocates €104.4 million to strengthen internal security, including:
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Working with probation and correctional facility clients to reduce risks of criminal behavior and support reintegration into society
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Preparing the new Liepāja prison to commence operations
Development of Legal Environment, IT Infrastructure, and Bureaucracy Reduction
To create a safe and business-friendly environment, the budget provides €123.4 million for maintaining the court system, providing legal aid, and developing IT infrastructure.
An additional €23.6 million is allocated to improve access to property information, ensuring organized infrastructure and accessible services for citizens. For example, from 6 January 2026, bureaucracy will be reduced by simplifying construction and building registration processes. A unified building registration process will allow all steps from construction commencement to land register entry to be completed with a single application, reducing costs by up to 70% and shortening registration time to 10 days.
The Ministry of Justice will continue its work to ensure long-term stability in Latvia through internal security, effective penal system management, reduced bureaucracy, and family support