Financial support

GUARDIANSHIP (CARE) BENEFITS

Every child who is placed under guardianship (care) in a family, foster family, foster care centre or child care institution receives a monthly guardianship (care) benefit during the period of guardianship (care). 

The amount of the guardianship (care) benefit is based on the child’s age and needs:
- children under 6 years old receive a benefit of 5.2 basic social benefits; 
- children aged 6 to 12 years old receive a benefit equal to 6 basic social benefits; 
- children aged 12 to 18 years old, children with disabilities, regardless of their age, and former foster children, if, after the child's guardianship (care) has ended due to the child becoming an adult, becoming emancipated or getting married, the person is enrolled in a programme of general education, a programme of formal vocational training or a full-time or full-time study programme at a higher education institution (including during the period of academic leave due to sickness, pregnancy or parental leave), in the event of the death of both parents (the parent was the only parent) of a minor who has reached adulthood or who has been emancipated or has entered into a marriage, a benefit of 6.5 basic social benefits during the period of education, but not beyond the age of 24 years. 

In cases where a child (person) studying under general education and/or formal vocational training programmes or studying at a higher education institution under a full-time study programme is maintained (receives free accommodation, food and other services) in a dormitory of a general education school, vocational training provider or a higher education institution, or in a children’s socialisation centre, a benefit of 2.6 basic social benefits for a child up to the age of 6, 3 basic social benefits for a child aged between 6 and 12, for a child aged between 12 and 18, or until the minor is recognised as emancipated or marries, for a child with a level of disability irrespective of age, and for a former foster child up to the age of 24, for whom guardianship (care) ends as a result of reaching adulthood, emancipation or marriage, and who are in education or training - a monthly benefit of 3.25 basic social benefits.

The guardianship (care) benefit is withheld or stopped if:
1. the child (person) is arrested, is serving a custodial sentence, has been placed under compulsory medical measures for in-patient observation in specialised mental health care institutions in accordance with the procedure laid down by the Code of Criminal Procedure, has been placed under a search order, or has been declared by a court to be missing, until such time as these circumstances cease to exist;

2. the child has been placed under guardianship (care) in a children’s social care institution established by the county governor up to and including 31 December 2006, and the guardianship (care) in the social care institution is financed by the state budget in accordance with the procedure established by the Law on Social Services of the Republic of Lithuania;
3. the person has enrolled and studied more than twice in vocational education and training establishments as part of a programme of initial vocational training, or has enrolled and studied more than twice in higher education establishments as part of the same or a lower-cycle study programme.

Documents needed to receive the benefit*:
1. a document confirming your identity;
2. application for the benefit; 
3. documents proving the award or payment of child maintenance; 
4. documents confirming the establishment of guardianship (care) and the appointment of a guardian (carer); 
5. certificates from educational establishments where the person is in education; 
6. registration documents of a family home, a non-governmental child care institution or a children’s social care institution; 
7. a certificate from the school when the child is studying and is dependent (receives accommodation and food) in a school dormitory or socialisation centre; 
8. other documents, depending on the circumstances (see the Regulations on the granting and payment of child benefits).

TARGETED SUPPLEMENT TO THE GUARDIANSHIP (CARE) BENEFIT

• A guardian (carer) of a child is paid a targeted supplement to the guardianship benefit in the amount of 4 basic social benefits for a child who has been placed under guardianship (care) in a family.
• A targeted supplement to the guardianship (care) benefit in the amount of 4 basic social benefits is paid for a child in the guardianship (care) of a foster family.
• A foster care centre exercising the rights and duties of a child’s guardian (carer) receives a targeted supplement to the guardianship (care) benefit in the amount of 4 basic social benefits.
• From 1 January 2022, if, after the end of the child’s guardianship (care) due to the person becoming adult, emancipation or marriage, the person continues to live and be supported (receives free accommodation, food and other services) by the family, foster family or foster care centre where the person had been placed under the guardianship (care) before the person becoming adult, emancipation or marriage, and is receiving education within the framework of a general education curriculum (including persons whose education within the framework of a general education curriculum and within the framework of a general education curriculum in combination with a vocational training programme is provided by vocational training providers), until they complete their general education programme, as well as academic leave granted by vocational training providers on grounds of sickness, pregnancy or parental care), but no longer than until they reach the age of 23, including when they are dependent on free accommodation, (e.g. when the person is provided with board and lodging and other services) and in a dormitory of a general education school, vocational training provider or a children's socialisation centre, the former foster parent (family, foster family or foster care centre) shall be entitled to a targeted supplement to the guardianship (care) benefit in the amount of 4 basic social benefits per month.

The targeted supplement to the guardianship (care) benefit shall not be granted or shall cease if:
•  the child is in arrested, is serving a custodial sentence, has been placed under compulsory medical measures for in-patient observation in specialised mental health care institutions in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Code of Criminal Procedure, has been declared wanted, or has been declared by a court to be unaccounted for, until these circumstances cease to apply.

Documents needed to receive the benefit*:
1. proof of identity; 
2. an application for the benefit; 
3. documents proving the award or payment of child maintenance; 
4. documents confirming the establishment of guardianship (care) and the appointment of a guardian (carer); 
5. certificates from educational establishments where the person studies; 
6. registration documents of a foster family, a non-governmental child care institution or a children’s social care institution; 
7. a certificate from the school when the child is studying and is dependent (receives accommodation and food) in a school dormitory or socialisation centre; 
8. a free-form written confirmation from the person (former guardian (carer)) that, after the end of guardianship due to the child becoming adult, emancipation or marriage, he/she has remained living with his/her former guardian (carer) and is dependent on him/her for support (receiving free accommodation, food and other services); 
9. other documents, depending on the circumstances (see the Regulations on the granting and payment of child benefits).

In cases where guardianship is established for a child who has not yet reached the age of one and a half years and the lump-sum payment at birth has not previously been paid in respect of the child, this lump-sum payment, amounting to the amount of 11 basic social benefits, shall be paid to the guardian of the child. 

The child benefit for each child in the care of cohabitants follows the same procedure as for children raised by cohabitants. 

ONE-OFF ALLOWANCE FOR SETTLEMENT

A person receives a one-off allowance of 75 basic social benefits to settle down after the end of the guardianship (care) imposed on him/her due to becoming adult, emancipation or marriage.

This benefit shall not be paid in cash, unless there is an unused part of the benefit of less than 2 basic social allowances, which may be paid in cash to the recipient himself.

The one-off allowance can be used:
• for the purchase of a dwelling (residential premises); for a part of a loan for the construction or purchase of a dwelling; for the rental of a dwelling; for utility bills for the rented or owned dwelling; for the repair or reconstruction of a dwelling; for the purchase of furniture, household appliances, video and sound equipment, household goods, one personal computer, one mobile phone; for the cost of studies and non-formal education, and for the purchase of learning and working materials; the purchase of a plot of land; for the cost of paid health care goods and services; for the purchase of a car, moped, motorcycle, provided that the person holds a valid driving licence certifying that he/she has the right to drive a motor vehicle in the relevant category, a bicycle, a motorised bicycle (including an electric scooter) or a scooter without a motor.

A one-off allowance for settlement is not granted or paid if:
1. the person is dependent (receives free accommodation, food and other services) in an institution funded by the state or municipality;
2. the person is arrested, is serving a custodial sentence, has been placed under compulsory medical measures for in-patient observation in specialised mental health care institutions in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Code of Criminal Procedure, has been declared wanted, or has been declared by a court to be in an unknown location, until these circumstances cease to exist.

Documents needed to receive the benefit*:
1. an identity document;
2. an application for the benefit;
3. documents confirming the establishment of guardianship (care);
4. other documents, depending on the circumstances (see the Regulations on granting and paying child benefits).

Source of information