HBS provides a source of information on qualitative and quantitative indicators of the standard of living in Latvia. The main purpose of the data collection is to estimate the level and structure of income, consumption expenditure in the country as a whole as well as by type of locality. The HBS data are used for the calculation of a consumer price index and to estimate the private final consumption expenditure of the household sector in the National Accounts.

The first Household Budget survey took place in 1926/1927, the second in 1936/1937. In the post-war period Family Budget survey was started in 1952 within the system of the former Central Statistical Board of the USSR. (later renamed Goskomstat). This survey was based on the so-called “sectoral“ sampling principle and was continued also during first independency years of Latvia till August 1995. According to random sampling principle the new HBS was implemented with the assistance of the Word Bank and it was initiated in September 1995. The survey lasted 5 years till 2000. The last redesigned HBS was launched in May 2001 and since then HBS is a continuous survey. HBS is being conducted following Eurostat recommendation.