New rules for child allowances come into effect from 1 August.

The aim of the update is to raise the income criterion, which will allow more parents to qualify for this financial assistance. The new rules and thresholds for receiving monthly child benefits will take effect on August 1 under the changes set out in the state budget.

The new threshold for receiving the full amount of the benefit is 415 per family member, whereas until now the requirement was that the average income per family member should not exceed388.58 per month.

The threshold is also being raised for families with slightly higher incomes that are entitled to receive 80% of the benefit amount.

For one child, the allowance is just over 25 per month, while for four children it reaches nearly90. The Social Ministry says that thanks to the higher threshold, the parents of around 440,000 children on average per month will continue to receive monthly allowances.

The budget changes also provide for higher social security contributions for people with high salaries, a higher excise duty on cigarettes and more expensive vignettes.