Two important interventions concerning pensioners are to be implemented within March. The first concerns the one-off payment of the extraordinary financial assistance to pensioners who have a personal difference and did not benefit at all or benefited partially from the increases given recently and the second concerns the granting of an advance payment for the outstanding supplementary pensions, due to old age, disability or death, to insured persons who have submitted an application before July 1, 2022 and for whom a main pension decision has been issued.

In fact, these are not the only interventions launched recently, as, from the end of December 2022 until today, other increases were implemented, with the aim of improving the income of pensioners, which are of a permanent nature, such as the smaller or higher increases, through the abolition of the special solidarity contribution, to over 900,000 pensioners, with incomes of 12,000 euros and above, the increases of the fourth recalculation installment of Vroutsis to over 230,000 pensioners and the first increases up to 7.75% for over 1.7 million pensioners, after 12 years, but also the extraordinary financial aid of 250 euros to over 1 million pensioners, with an income of up to 800 euros per month.

From 200 euros to 300 euros the amount of the extraordinary financial aid

The one-off financial aid, the fiscal cost of which amounts to 280 million euros, concerns pensioners who have a personal difference and have a sum of main pensions of up to 1,600 euros per month and either did not see the 7.75% increase at all in the previous month or they received a percentage less than that. According to clarifications from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, in order for the pensioner to receive the aid, the net pension amount before taxes is considered.

As stated by the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Kostis Hatzidakis, during the recent presentation of the seven new interventions to support society by the economic staff, following the announcements of the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the government weighed the special conditions, which have been created, due to an unusual imported inflation, for the pensioners who they have the so-called personal difference of the Katrougalos law for low pensioners as well. In this context, it utilized the additional fiscal space, taking into account the needs of pensioners.

As announced, the amount of the one-off aid is escalating and ranges from 200 euros to 300 euros, while its amount depends on three criteria: the partial or no increase, due to the personal difference, the amount of the pension and any other aids received the previous period.

The extraordinary financial aid, which will be paid until March 31, 2023 by lump sum payment, without requiring any application from the pensioners, is tax-free, non-assignable and non-seizable and is not subject to any fee, levy or other withholding in favor of the State.

How many will receive it?

Pensioners with a personal difference, who are strengthened, amount to approximately 1,112,000.

As Mr. Hatzidakis announced, in the context of the recent presentation, according to the criteria defined, these retirees are divided into five categories.

It is recalled that in the first category are those retirees who did not see any of the increases. This is about 120,000 pensioners (about 5% of the total) with a personal difference and with a sum of main pensions ranging between 800 euros and 1,000 euros per month. These pensioners will receive an emergency aid of 300 euros.

In the second category are those pensioners who have a personal difference and the only aid they received in the previous period was the extraordinary payment of 250 euros at Christmas. These are 370,000 low-income pensioners, with pensions of up to 800 euros per month, and these pensioners will receive an emergency aid of 300 euros.

In the third category are those pensioners who have a sum of main pensions between 1,000 euros-1,100 euros per month, have a personal difference and saw only a small boost from the abolition of the special solidarity contribution of 36 euros per year on average. These are 70,000 pensioners, who will also receive the extraordinary aid of 300 euros.

A total of 560,000 pensioners, with the sum of main pensions up to 1,100 euros and the characteristics, mentioned above, will receive the maximum amount of 300 euros.

In the fourth category are those pensioners who have a sum of main pensions from 1,100 euros to 1,600 euros per month, have a personal difference and only benefited from the abolition of the special solidarity contribution with an average of 111 euros per year. There are 300,000 pensioners and they will receive 250 euros.

The fifth category concerns pensioners who did not see the full increase of 7.75%, due to a personal difference, but received a smaller percentage.

Particularly:

Those pensioners who receive a sum of main pensions up to 1,100 euros per month and saw an increase in their pension up to 3.49%, then the extraordinary aid they will receive is 250 euros. About 94,000 pensioners belong to this group.

Therefore, the amount of 250 euros will be received by a total of 394,000 pensioners.

There are also pensioners who will receive the amount of 200 euros as an emergency aid.

They are:

Around 33,000 pensioners, with a sum of main pensions from 1,101 euros to 1,600 euros, who have received an increase in their pension of up to 3.49%, will receive an aid of 200 euros and an additional 125,000 pensioners, who have a sum of pensions of up to 1,100 euros and have seen an increase in their pensions from 3.5% to 6.99%, they will also receive an aid of 200 euros.

So, in total, the pensioners who will receive the amount of 200 euros are 158,000.

As the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs notes, with the combination of the increases given in the previous two months, it follows that all pensioners (2.5 million) see an increase in their incomes.

The de-escalation of pending supplementary pensions is rapidly progressing – Advance payment for pending supplementary pensions

At the same time, the process for the liquidation of the outstanding supplementary pensions, which amount to approximately 80,000, has entered the final stretch.

Speaking to APE-MPE, the press representative of e-EFKA, Omiros Tsapalos, points out that, by applying the same methods that were followed for issuing the pending main pensions, the granting of the pending auxiliary pensions has been significantly accelerated and the first results are particularly encouraging .

An indication of the progress that has been made is that, during the month of January 2023, the first 15,000 supplementary pensions were issued from the total pending, until the end of February 2023, it is estimated that another 25,000 will be issued, while the actions to further reduce the pending will intensify in the coming months.

According to Mr. Homeros Tsapalos, the initiatives that have been undertaken and contribute decisively to the elimination of the “stock” of pending supplementary pensions, are the improvement of the operation of the mechanism for issuing supplementary pensions with a fast track procedure, which has already been established with Article 48 of Law 4921/2022, the creation of a Control Tower to monitor the pending cases throughout Greece, the employment of employees from the main pension awarding centers in the corresponding auxiliary pensions, the digitization of the submission of new applications for an auxiliary pension, which significantly limits the awarding times, as well as the correct organization, management and know-how available to the institution. “Now, e-EFKA has proven that it produces pensions and not delays. We proved this on the main pensions front, where over 500,000 pensions were issued within 24 months. We will prove it soon also on the front of the auxiliaries”, emphasizes the press representative of e-EFKA.

At the same time, with an amendment by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, it is foreseen to grant an advance payment for the pending supplementary pensions, due to old age, disability or death, to insured persons who have submitted an application, before July 1, 2022 and for whom a main pension decision has been issued .

The advance payment, which is expected to be granted by 15 March 2023, is equal to 100 euros for each month of delay in issuing the supplementary pension (for supplementary old-age pensions), from the period of application until 31 January 2023. The advance payment is set to 50 euros for supplementary pensions, due to disability and for the surviving spouse, who requests to be granted a supplementary pension, due to death.

It is noted that no action is required on the part of the beneficiary.