The regulation to increase the birth allowance from 400 to 1,500 euros was submitted to the Parliament, as well as the possibility of advance payment of part of the subsidy to the “Renovate – Rent” Program, provisions of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, which are included in a relevant bill of the Ministry of Finance entitled “Terms for the utilization of public property in coastal areas and other provisions”. Also, the funding of 18,500,000 euros from the regular budget is also planned for beneficiaries of disabled people and they concern access to Creative Employment Center structures.

The bill, which was submitted on Friday 16/2/24 to the Parliament and will be introduced for discussion next Tuesday 20/2/24 in the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, provides for the increase in birth allowance (costing: approximately 80-90 million euros taking taking into account the positive effect of the measure on the number of births).

According to sources from the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, the regulation increases the birth allowance granted by the Welfare Benefits and Social Solidarity Organization. The new, increased amount is graduated according to the number of dependent children of each family as it is formed after the birth of the child, with the aim of encouraging and supporting families.

More specifically, an increase of four hundred (400) euros is established for the first dependent child, escalating for each subsequent child and reaching the additional amount of one thousand five hundred (1,500) euros for beneficiaries with four (4) or more dependent children before birth .

Escalation of the grant amount progressively increases the aid received by families with more children, aiming to encourage more children. Retroactive application of the measure is foreseen for every child born from 1.1.2023 (Estimated cost of retroactive application of the measure: 41,921,900 euros)

Provision is also made for the advance payment of part of the subsidy (€50 million) to the “Renovate-Rent” Program.

Specifically, with the regulation that was submitted, the possibility of advance payment of part of the subsidy to the beneficiaries of the program is added. The purpose of this addition is to improve the attractiveness of the program and to best attract and serve the immediate needs of the beneficiaries. In addition, owners or usufructuary owners with an ownership/usufructuary percentage even equal to 50% can participate in the program, while previously it was stipulated that this percentage had to be greater than 50% of the property. The above modification was deemed necessary in order not to exclude couples or families with ideal shares on the respective property.

In addition, with the regulation, the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family undertakes the entire budget of the program, amounting to 50 million, by finding the necessary funds from its regular budget and aiming to immediately start the implementation of the program.

It is recalled that the “Renovate to Rent” program aims to increase the number of homes available for rent and concerns the subsidy of renovation costs for empty homes to be rented, up to 40% on the invoices for works and renovation materials and up to €10,000. Part of the subsidy, up to 50%, can be given as an advance. Also, the goal is to make use of 12,500 empty houses.

KDAP vouchers for the disabled amounting to 18 million euros

Finally, in a provision concerning the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family and included in the draft law of the Ministry of Finance, the financing from the regular budget of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, in addition to other sources of funding, of benefits addressed to beneficiaries with disabilities and concern access to Creative Employment Center structures for people with disabilities, due to exhaustion of other funding sources.

The goal is the benefit of all our fellow citizens with disabilities and families with members with disabilities, who for the second year in a row benefit from the program by receiving support for access to KDAPApame structures.

The allocation of the additional amount of 18,500,000 euros from the regular budget of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family confirms the non-negotiable priority of the government for inclusion and equal opportunities. This amount corresponds to 3,000 vouchers.

It is recalled that within the framework of the program: the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family is already funding, in addition to other funding sources, vouchers for the access of all beneficiaries to nurseries and kindergartens, in the amount of 291,200,000 euros.