Allowances, retrospective and financial support – What will be given until Easter

The government may have decided not to give an extraordinary “Easter gift” to economically vulnerable citizens, but will open the budget “bag” to hand out benefits and retroactives to new mothers, farmers, young people and thousands of households that use oil or electricity to to heat their house.

The package of emergency and permanent financial support which “unlocks” from next month includes:

Increased birth allowance. An extra birth allowance of 400 to 1,500 euros will be received in April by mothers who had a child from January 1, 2023 onwards. This amount arises after the increase in the birth allowance, with retroactive effect from 1 January 2023.

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Without the need for a new application, the additional amount of the allowance will be paid in one lump sum in April to beneficiaries who have already received the full amount of the birth allowance. Beneficiaries, whose application has been approved, without, however, having completed the payment of both installments of the allowance, the additional amount is paid with the payment of the second installment.

The birth allowance varies according to the number of children, from 2,400 euros for the first child to 3,500 euros for the fourth and each subsequent child.

Maternity allowance for freelancers and farmers. At the end of March, the platform for the payment of maternity benefits to self-employed workers is expected to be activated. Insured women will receive for nine months the minimum wage (780 euros today), in addition to the amount they receive during pregnancy and childbirth. Beneficiary mothers to receive the allowance must be insured, i.e. have no debts to the e-EFKA.

The benefit is granted retroactively for mothers who gave birth from 24 September 2023 onwards. Employed mothers of the former TAUTEKO, ETAP-MME and EDOEAP are also entitled to this allowance.

Tax return for agricultural oil. On April 1, 2024, farmers are expected to receive the advance payment of the EFFK for agricultural oil. Beneficiaries of the refund of the diesel fuel tax for engines, which is used exclusively in agriculture, are natural persons/producers who have submitted a Single Support Application for the years 2023 and 2024, have been registered in the Register of Farmers and Agricultural Holdings since 1 January 2024 up to and including 31 October 2024 and have been assigned the status of ‘professional farmer’ or ‘professional farmer as a new entrant in the agricultural sector’.

Heating benefit. By April 30, the third installment of the heating allowance is expected to be paid to households that use oil to heat their homes. Specifically, those who bought heating oil until March 31, 2024 will be paid and the documents will have been registered until April 15, 2024. Also, the time is counting down for the discount of 45-480 euros to appear on the electricity bills of the households that submitted an application to receive the extraordinary financial aid which concerns the first quarter of the year.

Υouth Pass. On April 1, the platform will be opened through which the aid of 150 euros will be paid to young men and women aged 18 and 19.