Income support is financial aid from the state to people in need, paid by the local government. To alleviate deprivation, local authorities use both social services and other social assistance, depending on the situation. It is paid when all other means of alleviating poverty and deprivation have proved inadequate.
Income support is calculated on the basis of the net income of all the members of a person living alone or in a family in the previous month, the housing costs due for the current month and the subsistence threshold. from 1 June 2022 is the subsistence threshold for a person living alone or in a family. EUR 200 per month for the first member. Any a minor member the subsistence threshold is EUR 240 per month. Family the income limit for the second and each subsequent adult member is €160 per month. A recipient of subsistence allowance whose family members are all minors is entitled to receive, together with the subsistence allowance, a supplementary social allowance of 15 euros, paid by the local authority from state budget funds.
The amount of the income limit is set by the Riigikogu in the state budget. It is calculated for each financial year for the first member of a family or for a person living alone. The subsistence limit for each minor member of the family is 120% of the subsistence limit for the first member of the family. The subsistence limit for the second and each subsequent adult member of the family is 80% of the subsistence limit of the first member of the family. The subsistence threshold is set on the basis of the minimum consumption costs for food, clothing, footwear and other goods and services to meet basic needs.
In addition, the municipality or city government may determine and pay additional social benefits from the municipal budget.
The application for, calculation, award and payment of subsistence benefits are governed by. the Social Welfare Act (Social Security Act )
