A proposed law would provide financial support and social insurance to parents who cannot work because they provide constant care for children or adult family members with serious disabilities.
Serbia’s Parliament is considering a landmark social welfare bill that would formally recognize parent caregivers for the first time and provide them with a monthly payment of 65,000 Serbian dinars, approximately $650.
Under the proposal, eligible parents and caregivers would also receive state funded health, pension and disability insurance contributions. The measure is intended to support families in which one parent cannot maintain regular employment because a child or adult family member requires continuous care.
The Serbian government approved the bill in June, and lawmakers began debating it in Parliament in early July. If adopted, payments are expected to begin Oct. 1, 2026. The monthly amount would not remain permanently fixed and would be adjusted each March based on changes in Serbia’s average wage.
Existing Benefits Would Remain in Place
Labor Minister Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski said the new payment would not eliminate benefits already provided to children who require assistance with everyday activities.
This means an eligible family could continue receiving the child’s increased care and assistance allowance while the parent caregiver separately receives the new monthly payment and insurance coverage.
The proposal would therefore recognize the caregiver’s work without reducing support intended specifically for the child.
Opposition Lawmakers Signal Support
The bill appears likely to receive broad political support. Opposition lawmaker Pavle Grbović said his parliamentary group would vote for it because families had long needed such legislation, although he questioned why it was being introduced during a politically sensitive period.
The proposal resembles measures that opposition parties and parent advocacy groups have requested for years. Previous attempts to place similar legislation before Parliament did not advance.
Some Families Still Raise Concerns
While the legislation has been welcomed as an important step, some parent groups have argued that its eligibility rules may exclude families who also need assistance.
Critics have raised questions about whether employed parents, pensioners and older caregivers would qualify. They have also warned that financial payments alone cannot replace community services, therapy, respite care and long term support for people with disabilities.
The final eligibility requirements will depend on the version approved by Parliament and the regulations adopted afterward.
If passed, the law would mark the first time Serbia formally recognizes full time family caregiving as work that qualifies for regular financial compensation and social insurance.
