Bulgaria to increase child benefits and maternity support

Bulgarian Social Minister Natalia Efremova has announced a series of planned increases to social benefits and support measures. Key proposals include raising child benefits, though the exact amount remains under negotiation, and increasing maternity benefits for the second year to a level close to the net income of a person on minimum wage.

Additional measures include increasing the incentive for mothers returning to work to 75 percent of the relevant benefit and raising one-time birth grants by more than 50 percent. The ministry is also considering tax reliefs for parents whose children participate in extracurricular activities and increased support for students in the 1st, 4th, and 8th grades.

To combat rising costs, the ministry is preparing an ‘inflation check’ for the lowest-income individuals. This measure aims to compensate for the increased costs of goods and services driven by rising fuel prices. Unlike previous measures that required vehicle ownership, this new approach focuses on individuals already identified within the social assistance system to ensure more effective delivery of support.