Ministry of Labour plans to increase aid for parents

After a thorough review of the state of social policy in the country, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy announced that it will seek to increase financial support for parents of schoolchildren. Within the parliamentary committee on labor and social policy, Minister Borislav Gutsanov presented the ministry's vision for future actions that directly affect thousands of Bulgarian families.

Plans for increased aid for families with schoolchildren

In response to current oral questions from parliamentarians, Minister Gutsanov stated that if a financial opportunity is found, the ministry will request to increase the amount that currently assists parents of children in first, second, third, fourth, and eighth grades.

"If we have the opportunity, we will request to increase the amount assisting parents of children in first, second, third, fourth, and eighth grades,"

Analysis of data from the last school year

To illustrate the scale of the support, the minister presented detailed statistics for the 2025/2026 school year.

• For children from 1st to 4th grade, a total of 105,479 applications were submitted. Of these, 96,064 orders were issued, covering 106,355 children. The number of rejections in this group is minimal—only 255.
• The picture is similar for students in the eighth grade, where the number of submitted applications is 18,971. Of these, 16,516 orders were issued, providing aid to 16,841 children. Rejections here are even fewer—just 79.

These figures show that state aid reaches a large number of families, but the question of its adequacy relative to the rising costs of education remains relevant.

Maternity and financial security

Minister Gutsanov did not limit his statement to support for students. He also addressed another key topic—financial aid during maternity leave. He expressed the ministry's desire to also increase the amount for the second year of maternity leave, which is currently set at BGN 780. The minister recalled the existing practice, according to which, if a mother decides to return to work during the second year, she receives half of this amount. This measure aims to encourage an early return to the labor market but raises questions about the sufficiency of financial compensation during this transitional period.

Minister Gutsanov's proposals demonstrate a commitment to an active social policy aimed at families and children while also reflecting the government's efforts to respond to the economic challenges facing households. It remains to be seen whether these ambitious plans will receive the necessary budget support to become a reality.