OECD Economic Surveys: Estonia 2024

Annex 2.A. Overview of main monetary social benefits

Table 2.9. Overview of main social benefits

Benefit title	Characteristics	Eligibility conditions	Duration	Factors impacting payment
Unemployment benefit	Contributory – at least one year during past three years. 60% of salary for first 3.3 months, then 40% for the rest of the year. Possible to combine with temporary work (no more than 8 days a month) and remuneration does not exceed 40% of minimum wage.	Need to comply with individual action plan, take suitable work, attend appointments with the Unemployment Insurance Fund.	One year. The duration of the benefit is shorter is contributory period shorter than 10 years.	Taxable.
Unemployment allowance	Non-contributory, means tested. 50% of the minimum wage. Possible to combine with temporary work of 8 days a month.	Work history for at least 180 days during past year required. Need to comply with individual action plan and attend meetings.	9 months	Non-taxable. Linked to minimum wage.
Subsistence benefit	Means tested, granted by local authorities. In 2022, 200 Euros/month for a single person and first member of a family, Euros 240 for children.		Unlimited as long as means test and other conditions met.	Non-taxable.
Housing benefit	Party covered under the subsistence benefit.	People living in privately rented accommodation.		Non-taxable.
Family benefits
Child allowance	Non-contributory, universal. 1st and 2nd child 80 Euros/month/child; 3rd and subsequent children 100 Euros/month/child.		Up to 16 years of age or if in education up to 19 years.
Allowance for big families	Universal. In 2023: 3-6 children: 650 Euros/month; 7 and more children: 850 Euros/month. As of 2024: 3-6 children 450 Euros/moth; 7 and more children 650 Euros/month.
Parental benefit	At previous wage and at least 654 euros/month and up to 4 291 euros/month (triple of the average wage in the previous year). Flexibility in terms of who takes the benefit and for how long, up to 60 days can be taken by both parents at the same time.		1.5 years, up to 3 years of the child	Possibility to earn income, when not exceeding half of the parental benefit, no impact on the benefit.
Maternity benefit	100 % of previous wage with no upper limit	Contributory history of health insurance.	Up to 100 days for mother that has worked prior to birth, 30 days for those not working.
Sickness benefits
Work ability allowance	316 euros/moth for those with partial ability to work. 558 euros/month for those with no ability to work. The amounts are reduced if income exceeds 1674 euros/month (2023).	Workability assessment	Unlimited	Taxable.
Sickness benefit	70% of previous wage from 4th day of sickness (five days paid by employer, then by Health Insurance Fund); 100 % of previous wage with no upper limit for work accident or occupational disease.	Contributory history of health insurance.		3 day waiting period, not possible to combine with earning from work.

Source: OECD (2022), The OECD Tax-Benefit database.

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