The Minister of Labor and Social Policy Natalia Efremova proposes an increase in family benefits for children, which will be included in the budget for 2027. The Minister specified to the deputies of the Committee on Labor, Demographic and Social Policy in the National Assembly that the specific amounts are not yet final and are to be discussed as part of the macro framework for next year. Calculations show that an additional 100 million euros will be needed in the state budget and the state social security budget. Tax breaks are also being proposed to support families with children, which will require about 200 million euros in the budget.
Efremova listed some of the benefits she proposes to increase:
• The one-time pregnancy benefit should be increased by 50 euros.
• The one-time birth benefit should reach 300 euros for the first child, 720 euros for the second and 360 euros for the third.
• The one-time benefit for students from first to fourth grade and in eighth grade should reach 175 euros.
• The monthly benefits for raising a child up to 1 year old should be increased by 48 euros per month or 576 euros on an annual basis.
• Monthly child-rearing allowances until the completion of secondary education should reach 30 euros per month or 360 euros more per year for one child, 65 euros per month or an increase of 780 euros per year for two, and for three - 100 euros per month, which is an increase of 1200 euros in total.
• Monthly child-rearing allowances for children with permanent disabilities should be increased by different percentages depending on the degree of disability. For the highest degree of disability, the increase is proposed to be 100 euros per month, which will bring the allowance to 704 euros.
Within the framework of the budget procedure, an increase of up to 75% of the compensation for the mother's early return to work will be proposed, as well as an increase in the nominal value of the benefit for the second year of maternity leave. “Currently, calculations are being made of what can be covered by the state social security, and we will try to make the increase significant“, the minister emphasized. Natalia Efremova specified that the proposal is to receive about 450 euros per month in the second year of maternity.
“The state social security in Bulgaria covers a larger amount for maternity in nominal value compared to other countries – member states of the European Union, due to its duration”, said Efremova. She cited data according to which for two years of maternity and the maximum amount of the benefit for the first year of it, about 28 thousand euros are paid for raising one child, or an average of over 1,000 euros per month.
Minister Efremova recalled that the Ministry of Finance is preparing tax breaks for families with children, proposing an increase in the amount of the tax incentive. The proposal is that the amount by which the tax base is reduced for one child be increased by 1,900 euros and reach 5,000 euros, for two children the increase should be 1,800 euros - up to 8,000 euros, and for a child with a disability - 3,800 euros more or 10,000 euros should be deducted.
In addition, a tax package called "School" is proposed, which includes the possibility of an additional reduction of the tax base by up to 2,000 euros for one child, up to 4,000 euros for two children and up to 6,000 euros for three or more children. The requirements for this type of tax incentive will be tied to the child's participation in extracurricular activities related to sports, language or other types of courses related to his or her development. To receive this preference, parents will need to submit reporting documents certifying the child's participation in extracurricular activities.