Families caring for children with disabilities, as well as people with group I disabilities will receive the status of the protected user and therefore pay less for electricity. This is envisioned in the amendments to the Electricity Market Law which the Saeima adopted in the final reading on Thursday, 17 September. 

Previously only poor, low-income or large families were considered to be protected users for the purpose of using electricity for their own household. 

According to the authors of the draft law, until now families caring for children with disabilities could receive discounts on electricity only if they had obtained the status of a poor or low-income family. At committee meetings MPs had pointed out that there is a need to expand the scope of the protected user status to include other social groups. 

According to the  Central Statistical Bureau data,  last year there were 7916 children with disabilities in Latvia of whom 444 were living at specialised care institutions, but 7472 were living at home in the care of their parents. 

According to the State Social Insurance Agency data, group I disability has been issued to 22 988 persons.

The amendments to the Law will come into force on 1 January 2016.

Saeima Press Service