Death of other parent gives non-working mother pre-birth benefit from October

From 1 October 2026, an expectant mother without an employment relationship whose child's other parent has diedSotsiaalkindlustusamet has the right to receive ema vanemahüvitis from 70 days before the child's expected birth.Sotsiaalkindlustusamet The entitlement covers the full 70-day pre-birth window that was previously available only to working mothers: a working mother may use up to 70 calendar days before the expected date of birth and 30 days after it, while a mother without employment could previously receive the benefit only for 30 consecutive days starting from the child's birth.

To receive the benefit, the mother must submit a taotlus and attach the surmatõend of the unborn child's deceased parent. A mother without employment is generally a mother who had no employment relationship before the expected date of birth that would have entitled her to a temporary incapacity benefit under the ravikindlustuse seadus.

Where the same deceased person is not entered as the other parent when the child's birth is registered, the pre-birth period is set off against the length of the parental leave continuing after the birth. In that case the days used before the birth reduce the post-birth leave balance, so the registration of the deceased parent's details at birth registration directly affects how much leave remains after the child is born.

The amount of the benefit is calculated from income subject to sotsiaalmaks in a 12-month reference period ending nine months before the expected birth; for a mother without employment it is computed by the child's actual date of birth. A mother whose reference-period income was at or below the monthly minimum wage receives the benefit at least at the minimum wage; as of 1 January 2026 that floor was 886 euros gross, and for children born from 1 April 2026 it is 946 euros gross. Ema vanemahüvitis is subject to tulumaks with a right to use the tax-free allowance, and it is paid monthly on the 8th day of the month for the preceding month.

Legal basis: Perehüvitiste seadus § 35.