Home grant awarded to 358 large families

Last year, 358 families raising three or more children received a home grant from KredEx—there are 1256 children growing in these families. The total sum of the grants allocated last year was EUR 3.2 million.

“Last year’s Eurofound report clearly showed that the homes of Estonians rank among the worst in Europe in terms of their condition. Cold and damp houses lacking bathing facilities are a health hazard and deepen social inequality,” said Urve Palo, Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology, adding: “Good living conditions are a human right in the 21st century. I am pleased that the State has taken firm action to improve the homes of large families, and the past decision to include families with three children in the grant programme has justified itself.”

The average grant received by a family is EUR 7179, to which income tax is added. The largest number of recipients are living in Harju County (64), Ida-Viru County (47) and Tartu County (35). Out of these families, 62 have received a home grant once before.

In the families that received the grant, the average monthly taxable income per household member was EUR 143.69 in 2015, and there are, on average, 4 children under 19 years of age living in the families. There were also 16 families whose taxable income per household member was EUR 0 in 2015. The biggest family has 9 children and four of the families that received the grant have 7 children.

According to Triin Reinsalu, Head of the Housing and Energy Efficiency Division at KredEx, the grant has a tangible effect for the large families. “Since 2008, the living conditions of close to 10,000 children have been improved with the home grant for large families. Houses have received new roofing, thermal insulation has been fitted and windows have been replaced, bathing facilities and functional heating systems have been added. This has raised the families’ quality of life and helped to preserve the houses and improve their energy efficiency.

Most often, grants are issued for renovations (250 cases). A total of 88 families received a grant to buy a home, with 20 families receiving a grant to repay the principal balance of their home loan.

It is a non-refundable State grant intended for the improvement and modernisation of the living conditions of large families. Applications may be submitted by families with at least three children aged up to 19 years, in which the taxable income per household member for the previous year did not exceed EUR 355 per month.

The condition of the applicants’ housing was assessed by a committee including representatives of KredEx, the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Estonian Association of Large Families.