As the emergency situation during the spread of Covid-19 continues, Riga Municipality reminds that inhabitants of Riga who have a sharp decline in income and need social assistance can turn to the Riga Social Service (tel .: 80005055) and find out about the possibilities to receive support according to their social situation.
Crisis allowance
Riga municipality may grant crisis allowance to a person or family who, due to an emergency situation, is unable to provide for their basic needs. For the residents of Riga municipality, the crisis benefit is foreseen in the amount of 128 euros per person.
Other types of support
Vulnerable residents of Riga have the opportunity to receive allowance to ensure the guaranteed minimum of the income level, housing allowance to pay for housing expenses, allowance for health care and others.
Warm food
Those in difficulty have the possibility to receive warm food to take away in their own dishes every working day. There are currently ten hot food dispense places in different districts of Riga. There are soup kitchens in four places.
Social care services at the place of residence
The municipality, in cooperation with non-governmental organizations, involves volunteers in providing social assistance to people who are in self-isolation and who do not have any persons who could help with food supply.
Options for self-isolation
Riga City Council has gathered the information on the hotels and hostels that would be ready to receive residents for self-isolation. In total, these hotels can accommodate around 2,000 people in self-contained accommodation, offering rooms with a range of beds from 20 to 74 euros per day.
You can find out more about the possible support of the Riga Social Service on the website of the Welfare Department of the Riga City Council: http://www.ld.riga.lv/lv/ or by calling the free line 80005055.
Other forms of municipal support during an emergency
For school and kindergarten pupils from poor, low-income families and those in the municipal family support register, the municipality provides store cards for the purchase of food. In turn, the municipality will provide food packages worth a total of 75 euros for pupils of special education institutions.
In order to reduce the financial burden for inhabitants of Rigan, on March 26, the interim administration of the Riga City Council decided to postpone the term of real estate tax payment from March 31 to May 15. Postponement of the term means that no late fees will be charged until 15 May. Also, SIA “Rīgas namu pārvaldnieks” does not apply default interest on overdue invoices during the emergency situation, as well as contractual penalties to its customers.
No From May 1 to July 31, the tariff for water management services in Riga will be lower by seven percent or 1.48 euros per cubic meter. Heat energy tariffs in Riga from April 1 and 48.08 EUR / MWh without VAT, which is 7.4% lower than the previously approved heat energy tariff in Riga (51.90 EUR / MWh without VAT).
Inhabitants of Riga have possibility to ask their questions by calling the Riga Municipality 24-hour crisis information line 80000800.