Five income-boosting measures
Four support measures (Youth Pass, heating allowance, fuel for farmers, and one-off pensioner aid) are being implemented between now and Christmas, supporting vulnerable social groups and young people, while another is planned for vulnerable households if budget conditions allow.
Eighteen- and 19-year-olds can already submit applications for the Youth Pass, as can beneficiaries of the heating allowance. These are the measures to apply by the end of the year:
• Heating allowance: The myHeating platform of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) opened in recent days for the submission of applications by the beneficiaries until December 8. By December 22, the advance payment of the heating allowance of 100-1,000 euros will be paid.
• Youth Pass: Around 200,000 young people aged 18 and 19 will receive the €150 Youth Pass, which is in the form of a digital debit card that beneficiaries will be able to use in businesses operating in the sectors of culture, tourism and transport. The aid will have been sent to the credit institutions by Friday, December 8 and all beneficiaries will receive the aid by December 13. Beneficiaries are all tax residents of Greece who have reached the age of 18 or 19 within the year preceding the application and submit an application on the platform.
• One-time benefit to retirees. Some 750,000 pensioners of all funds with a “personal difference” of more than €10 and a pension of up to €1,600 will be paid an extraordinary allowance of €100-200, depending on the amount of pensionable earnings.
• Agricultural fuel. Farmers will collect the excise duty refund for 2023.
• New handouts against inflation. Budget figures show that the revenue outperformance appears to allow the government to issue a new €200-€250 “inflation handouts.” It will concern families on low incomes, people with disabilities, unsubsidized unemployed people, while at the beginning of December it will be decided whether it will also be granted to low-income pensioners.
In the meantime, the amount of the minimum guaranteed income for 225,000 vulnerable households is to be adjusted by 8%.
