Background information

On November 2022, the government, recognizing the social consequences from inflation and high price increases in the supply chain and energy, introduced an extraordinary financial support for vulnerable groups of the population.

In this context, articles 3 and 4 of Law 4997 on 25 November 2022 established financial support measures of Christmas 2022 for vulnerable groups of the population.

In the same context, on 13 December the Minister of Finance with the Decision No120578 introduced the granting of exceptional financial assistance to the long-term unemployed.

The extraordinary support was granted until 30 December 2022.

Content of measure

The total estimated expenditure is approximately €470 million, and was covered by the state budget. The extraordinary financial support grants €250 to:

• Pensioners due to old age, invalidity or death, provided that the annual individual income for the year 2021 does not exceed €9,600 or €16,800 family income and the value of the private property does not exceed €300,000. In the case where a married couple are beneficiaries of the aid, they both received it.
• Beneficiaries of social welfare, such as persons with disabilities, uninsured elderly people and beneficiaries of a guaranteed minimum income.
• Long-term unemployed, who are not entitled to any other benefit and meet specific income criteria. The benefit will be given by DYPA (Public Employment Service).

It also grants an extraordinary half-monthly child benefit to the parents already entitled to child benefit.

Use of measure

According to an announcement by the Minister of Finance on 21 December 2022, 1 million pensioners, 33,000 uninsured elderly persons of OPEKA (Organisation of Social Welfare Benefits and Social Solidarity), 140,000 beneficiaries of the disability benefit and approximately 70,000 long-term unemployed will receive the aid.

In addition, 225,000 beneficiaries of the minimum guaranteed income received a double installment for this month and also 820,000 beneficiaries of the OPEKA children's allowance received additionally the half a monthly benefit.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Older citizens Parents Disabled Other groups of citizens Pensioners People on social benefits People on low incomes

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

There is no involvement of social partners.

Views and reactions

There are no social partners' reactions to the measure.

Sources

• 25 November 2022: law 4997/202 (www.taxheaven.gr)
• 13 December 2022: Decision No120578 of the Minister of Finance (www.e-nomothesia.gr)
• 21 December 2022: Σταϊκούρας: Οι δηλώσεις για το επίδομα θέρμανσης και την εφάπαξ ενίσχυση των 250 ευρώ – Ποιοι θα την πάρου (www.enikonomia.gr)