Lithuania's 'Sodra' begins issuing increased child maintenance payments

Lithuania's "Sodra" social insurance fund has started disbursing increased child maintenance payments, a move aimed at supporting children whose parents do not fulfill court-ordered obligations. While payments issued in July covered June and remained at the previous maximum of 133.20 euros per child, recipients will see a higher amount in August. This payment, covering July, will reach up to 185 euros per child, reflecting an increase in the state's support.

The child maintenance benefit is state aid provided when one parent fails to pay court-ordered support for over a month. Before applying to "Sodra," individuals must first pursue debt recovery through a bailiff. If the bailiff initiates enforcement proceedings or refuses to do so because the debtor resides abroad, one can then apply to "Sodra" for the benefit after a month. Applications can be submitted online via the personal "Sodra" account, at any customer service branch, or by mail. A separate application is required for each child.

Eligibility for the benefit extends to the parent with whom the child resides according to a court decision or parental agreement, a child's guardian or custodian, or an adult child with a disability level of 0–25% if the disability was established before reaching adulthood. The child must be a Lithuanian citizen, even if their declared residence is abroad. If a foreign national or stateless person applies, they or the child must have permanent residence and a declared address in Lithuania. Payments can be transferred to the applicant's or child's bank account in Lithuania or abroad.

Previously, the maximum monthly child maintenance payment was 133.20 euros, equivalent to 1.8 basic social benefits (BSI). As of July 1, the maximum payment has been raised to 2.5 BSI, amounting to 185 euros per child. "Sodra" allocates approximately 2 million euros monthly for these payments. In 2025, over 23.4 million euros were disbursed, with about 12 million euros paid in the first half of this year.

"Sodra" actively recovers disbursed funds from non-compliant parents. Currently, around 30,700 individuals in Lithuania owe a total of 188 million euros in child maintenance arrears. This includes one individual who has failed to support eight of their children. "Sodra" informs both the benefit recipient and the non-paying parent about the allocated and disbursed payment. Debtors are initially sent reminders to settle the debt voluntarily, and payment plans can be arranged. If reminders are ignored, "Sodra" proceeds with forced recovery measures.