This chapter includes everything you need to know about family benefits in Greece.

Here you will find information on the following:

• Child benefit (ΕΠΙΔΟΜΑ ΠΑΙΔΙΟΥ)
• Benefit granted to families living in mountainous and disadvantaged areas (ΕΠΊΔΟΜΑ ΟΡΕΙΝΏΝ ΚΑΙ ΜΕΙΟΝΕΚΤΙΚΏΝ ΠΕΡΙΟΧΏΝ)
• Childbirth benefit (ΕΠΙΔΟΜΑ ΓΕΝΝΗΣΗΣ)
• Childbirth allowance (ΒΟΉΘΗΜΑ ΤΟΚΕΤΟΎ)
• Parental leave for raising a child (ΓΟΝΙΚΉ ΆΔΕΙΑ ΑΝΑΤΡΟΦΉΣ ΠΑΙΔΙΟΎ)

In what situation can I claim?

Child benefit (ΕΠΙΔΟΜΑ ΠΑΙΔΙΟΥ) is provided to families for every dependent child up to 18 years old or 19 years old if enrolled in secondary education (up to 24 years old if enrolled in higher education). Beneficiaries are required to permanently and constantly reside in Greece over the last five – year period (except for third country citizens for whom the requirement is 12 years). Organisation of Welfare Benefits and Social Solidarity (OPEKA) is responsible for paying the benefit.

Benefit granted to families living in mountainous and disadvantaged areas (ΕΠΊΔΟΜΑ ΟΡΕΙΝΏΝ ΚΑΙ ΜΕΙΟΝΕΚΤΙΚΏΝ ΠΕΡΙΟΧΏΝ) is provided to families living permanently in mountainous and/or disadvantaged areas for at least two years before application to the benefit, and with an annual family income below EUR 4,700. The benefit is also granted to single parent families.

Childbirth allowance (ΒΟΉΘΗΜΑ ΤΟΚΕΤΟΎ) is a lump-sum paid by the National Organisation for the Provision of Health Services (EOPYY) to salaried employees who are directly insured and to pensioners, as well as to the spouses of insured persons and pensioners. The benefit is provided to women who choose to give birth at home in place of obstetric care.

Parental leave for raising a child (ΓΟΝΙΚΉ ΆΔΕΙΑ ΑΝΑΤΡΟΦΉΣ ΠΑΙΔΙΟΎ): both parents are entitled to the parental leave in order the raise the child until he/she reaches the age of 8.

What conditions do I need to meet?

Child benefit is paid depending on equivalent family income. The following categories equivalence scale is applied:

Benefit granted to families living in mountainous and disadvantaged areas is provided to families living permanently in mountainous and/or disadvantaged areas for at least two years before application, and with an annual family income below EUR 4,700.

Childbirth benefit is granted to women legally and permanently residing in Greece, given that their annual equivalent family income does not exceed EUR 40,000.

Childbirth allowance: you must have accumulated 50 days of insurance during the previous year or during the last 15 months, without however counted the last three months.

Parental leave for raising a child: you must be working for at least 1 year to the same employer, unless it is more favourably defined by a special provision of law, decrees, regulations, collective labour agreements, arbitration decisions or employer – employee agreements.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Child benefit: the amount depends on the number of dependent children and the category of equivalent family income.

First category:

• EUR 70 per month for the first dependent child;
• EUR 70 per month for the second dependent child;
• EUR 140 per month for the third and every other dependent child beyond the third.

Second category:

• EUR 42 per month for the first dependent child;
• EUR 42 per month for the second dependent child;
• EUR 84 per month for the third and every other dependent child beyond the third.

Third category:

• EUR 28 per month for the first dependent child;
• EUR 28 per month for the second dependent child;
• EUR 56 per month for the third and every other dependent child beyond the third.

In order to receive the benefit, the beneficiary must file an A21 application online via the TAXISnet website once he/she has filed his/her income tax return (E1).

Benefit granted to families living in mountainous and disadvantaged areas

• EUR 600 per year for annual family income up to EUR 3,000;
• EUR 300 per year for annual family income from EUR 3,000.01 to EUR 4,700.

Childbirth benefit: lump-sum of EUR 2,000 paid in two equal instalments.

Childbirth allowance: lump-sum paid by the Illness Benefit Department of the local insurance unit of the e-National Social Security Fund (e-EFKA).

• EUR 900 for 1 child;
• EUR 1,200 for twins;
• EUR 1,600 for triplets.

Parental leave for raising a child: leave up to 4 months of which the first 2 months are paid by DYPA. In the case of multiple births the parental benefit is granted for 2 additional months, regardless of the number of children born together. Moreover, the leave and the benefit are doubled (up to 8 months leave of which the first 4 months are paid by DYPA) in special cases where one of the parents is not present:

• the child is orphan of one parent;
• the child is not recognised by the father;
• one of the parents has no legal custody of the child.

Request to be made to your employer and DYPA.

Jargon busters

• Dependent child: children who are born in wedlock, whether biological, adopted or recognised, and who are not older than 18 or 19 years of age, provided they are attending secondary school. In cases of children studying at a tertiary or higher education institution in Greece or at an accredited institution abroad, or at a Vocational Training Institute, the benefit is provided during the term of each child's studies, but cannot under any circumstances be provided after the age of 24. Furthermore, in terms of entitlement to the benefit, dependent children include children with a degree of disability of over 67%, as well as orphaned children who have lost both their parents.
• Equivalence scale: the equivalence scale is defined as the weighted sum of the members of a family. The one parent has a weighting of 1, the other has a weighting of 1/3 and each dependent child has a weighting of 1/6.
• Equivalent income: equivalent income is defined as the annual total family income, as stated in the income tax return of the current fiscal year, divided by the equivalence scale.
• Income category: families entitled to the single allowance child support are divided into three income categories depending on their equivalent income, as follows: families with an income of up to EUR 6,000 receive the full benefit (category A); families with an income from EUR 6,001 to EUR 12,000 (category B) receive 2/3 of the benefit, and families with an income from EUR 12,001 to EUR 18,000 (category C) receive 1/3 of the benefit.

EXAMPLE

A family (two parents) with two dependent children and an income of EUR 16,000.

Equivalence scale: 1 + 1/3 + 1/6 + 1/6 = 1.666

Equivalent income: 16,000/1.666 = 9,604

Income category: B

Family benefit: 80 x (2/3) = EUR 53.33 per month

Forms you may need to fill in

Child benefit: the form for application is A21 and has to be sent to Organisation of Welfare Benefits and Social Solidarity (OPEKA) via taxisnet.

• Certificate of family benefits for tax purposes (issued by former OGA)
• Α21: Application for former OGA family benefits

Benefit granted to families living in mountainous and disadvantaged areas:

https://opeka.gr/oikogeneies/oreines-kai-meionektikes-perioches/

https://oreina.epidomata.gov.gr/

Childbirth benefit: https://www.epidomagennisis.gr/pub/Home/Index

Parental leave for raising a child:

• Posting by the employer of the special form E.14 "Parental Leave" in the "ERGANI" Information System.
• Submit an application to the DYPA through the single digital portal of the public sector.

Know your rights

Publication and website of the European Commission:

• Family benefits: your rights abroad as a citizen of the EU

Who do you need to contact?

Organisation of Welfare Benefits and Social Solidarity (Οργανισμός Προνοιακών Επιδομάτων και Κοινωνικής Αλληλεγγύης ΟΠΕΚΑ-OPEKA)
Πατησίων 30/Patision 30,
101 70 Αθήνα/Athens
ΕΛΛΑΔΑ/GREECE
Tel.: +30 213 -15 19 300
Website: https://opeka.gr/

Public Employment Service (DYPA)
Directorate of Insurance & Social Policies

Εθνικής Αντιστάσεως 8/Ethnikis Antistaseos 8
174 56 Άλιμος/Alimos
ΕΛΛΑΔΑ/GREECE

Website: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/

Citizens Service Centres (Κέντρα Εξυπηρέτησης Πολιτών–ΚΕΠ- KEP)
Tel.: 1500
Website: www.kep.gov.gr/portal/page/portal/kep

1555 – Number for Citizens ‘communication and service on insurance, labour and social issues www.1555.gov.gr