By Vangelis Dourakis

Half of the increase in their theoretically will be taken in the “pocket” the year that those pensioners who maintain a personal difference is coming: If the prime minister’s announcements had not been preceded, this increase would simply have “disappeared”. As the competent government officials have clarified, “in 2026 they will receive at least half of the amount corresponding to the annual adjustment, while in 2027 the increase will be given the whole.”

As is well known, at a total of 2.5 million pensioners, 671,000 are maintaining a personal difference and therefore essentially have “deprived” of increases in the last 3 years (2023, 2024, 2025), when they have begun to be granted to retirees.

How the system was “working” with personal difference and what is changing

If the specific “mechanism” of offsetting were not abolished at least two stages – in the process as the prime minister announced – whatever the increase they had taken, the personal difference would be absorbed and when they arrived to cover and overcome the personal difference, they would “go up”. As the system has been working so far, thousands of pensioners should set off up to 300 euros or even 400 euros of personal difference with annual increases, which practically means it would take 10 years to see real increases in their bank account.

This will apply the Prime Minister’s announcement Kyriakou Mitsotakis From the TIF step to abolish personal difference in pensions. The original wording was that in 2026 the personal difference falls in half and 2027 is abolished. For its implementation, as explained yesterday by circles by the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of National Economy, pensioners with a personal difference will receive at least 50% of the increase for 2026 and the entire amount for 2027.

What increases will those who have a personal difference will take

So, based on the specific announcements of the Prime Minister and the clarifications made, the pensioners who will receive an increase amount that will exceed 50% to 99% They will have a “pure” increase covering at least 50% of personal difference.

That is, if the increase is 30 euros and the personal difference of 10 euros, the net profit will be 20 euros, which means that 67% of the increase in their pockets.

Pensioners who will increase less than the rest of the personal difference will take in the pocket 50% of the increase in personal difference, which will be completely abolished in 2027.

That is, the increase is 30 euros and the personal difference is 80 euros, or 180 euros or even 300 euros, pensioners will get 50% of the increase in 15 euros.

The profit for retirees who will be left with personal difference is that they will get half the increase of 2026 without offsetting the personal difference while In 2027, when the personal difference is completely abolished, they will get the whole increase.

Adjustment of pensions for 2026 (based on inflation and growth) will be calculated in the national and rewarding pension regardless of the existence or non -personal difference