This chapter includes all you need to know about invalidity benefits in Greece.

Here you will find information on the following:

• Non-institutional care benefit (ΕΞΩΪΔΡΥΜΑΤΙΚΌ ΕΠΊΔΟΜΑ-ΠΑΡΑΠΛΗΓΊΑΣ ΤΕΤΡΑΠΛΗΓΊΑΣ)
• Total invalidity benefit (ΕΠΊΔΟΜΑ ΑΠΟΛΎΤΟΥ ΑΝΑΠΗΡΊΑΣ)

In what situation can I claim?

Non-institutional care benefit (ΕΞΩΪΔΡΥΜΑΤΙΚΌ ΕΠΊΔΟΜΑ-ΠΑΡΑΠΛΗΓΊΑΣ ΤΕΤΡΑΠΛΗΓΊΑΣ): the non-institutional care benefit is provided to insured persons and pensioners receiving invalidity, old-age or survivor's pensions, and to the members of their families who suffer from specific diseases, on the condition that they do not receive the total invalidity benefit.

Beneficiaries must have been diagnosed as having a degree of disability of at least 67%.

Total Invalidity Benefit (ΕΠΊΔΟΜΑ ΑΠΟΛΥΤΟΥ ΑΝΑΠΗΡΊΑΣ): this benefit is provided to invalidity and old-age pensioners who are blind, provided their condition requires constant supervision and support from a third person (total invalidity).

What conditions do I need to meet?

Non-institutional care benefit: on the condition that the insured persons and pensioners do not receive the total invalidity benefit, and that they don’t receive the same benefit from another fund.

Total invalidity benefit: there are no additional requirements for the payment of the total invalidity benefit.

The invalidity benefits discussed in this chapter are exempt from tax.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Non-institutional care benefit: the benefit is granted from the date of application, but not before the expiry of the illness benefit.

The amount is equal to 20 minimum daily wages of unskilled labourers as it was on 31.12.2011 thus 20*33.57=EUR 671.40 plus supplements for Christmas (100%*EUR 671.40), Easter (50%*EUR 671.40) and summer holidays (50%*EUR 671.40) divided equally into 12 monthly payments. Thus the amount is EUR 783.30 per month. In the case of single amputees, it is equal to 10 minimum daily wages of unskilled labourers as it was on 31.12.2011 plus supplements for Christmas, Easter and holidays, thus is EUR 391.65 monthly.

The payment of the benefit is suspended if the beneficiary is hospitalised in an asylum-like institution for more than 30 days. Moreover, the benefit will be discontinued if the pensioner receives a benefit from another organisation due to paraplegia.

In order to receive the non-institutional care benefit, you must fill an application with KEPA (ΚΈΝΤΡΑ ΠΙΣΤΟΠΟΊΗΣΗΣ ΑΝΑΠΗΡΊΑΣ - ΚΕΠΑ) Centres for Certifying Invalidity registry offices and undergo a medical examination. If you believe that the KEPA Primary Health Committee (AYE) (ΠΡΩΤΟΒΆΘΜΙΑ ΥΓΕΙΟΝΟΜΙΚΉ ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΉ - ΑΥΕ) did not give you the right degree of disability, you can lodge an appeal against the AYE medical certificate in order to request a re-examination by the Secondary Health Committee (BYE) (ΔΕΥΤΕΡΟΒΆΘΜΙΑ ΥΓΕΙΟΝΟΜΙΚΉ ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΉ - ΒΥΕ).

Total invalidity benefit:

For persons insured before 1 January 1993:

Paid to invalidity and survivor’s pensioners and to old-age pensioners who are totally blind, as long as they are in a state that requires continuous care from another person.

The amount is equal to 50% of the amount of the pension received and cannot be more than 20 times the amount of the wage of unskilled labourers as it was on 31.12.2011 thus EUR 671.40.

For persons insured after 1 January 1993:

• pensioners on invalidity pension: the amount corresponds to 25% of the average per capita gross national product (GNP) of the year 1991, which is adjusted when the pensions of civil servants are raised.
• pensioners on old-age pension who are totally blind: the amount corresponds to 50% of the pension amount received. and cannot be more than 20 times the wage of unskilled labourers as it was on 31.12.2011 thus EUR 671.40.

Jargon busters

• Illnesses covered by the non-institutional care benefit: paraplegia or quadriplegia, myasthenia, myopathy with 67% disability, phocomelia, multiple sclerosis, cri-du-chat syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta with 80% disability and higher, brittle bone disease with 80% disability and higher, end-stage Alzheimer's disease, muscular dystrophy, amputation of all four limbs (from the ankle up in the two lower limbs and from the wrist up in the two upper limbs) or transfemoral (above-knee) amputation of the two lower limbs or transhumeral (above-elbow) amputation of the two upper limbs or transfemoral amputation of one lower limb and transhumeral amputation of one upper limb, which do not allow for the use of artificial limbs.
• Non-contributory benefits: supplementary benefits granted following an investigation into assets and income sources in specific categories of persons.
• KEPA: the Centre for Certifying Invalidity is a uniform institution that is responsible for ensuring uniform health assessment in terms of determining the degree of disability of persons insured with all insurance organisations, including civil servants, and that of uninsured persons, who require certification of their invalidity. The task of KEPA Health Committees is to determine the degree of invalidity for old-age pension purposes, to classify persons as being disabled, and to determine the degree of disability for all social and financial benefits or facilities, which require a disability certificate and which disabled persons are entitled to receive from the state.

Forms you may need to fill in

https://www.efka.gov.gr/el/menoy/kentro-pistopoieses-anaperias-kepa

Know your rights

The link below provides a legal definition of your rights. It is not an European Commission website, nor does it represent the views of the Commission:

• Centre for Certifying Invalidity

Publication and website of the European Commission:

• Social insurance scheme: your rights abroad as a citizen of the EU

Who do you need to contact?

e-National Social Security Fund (e-EFKA)

General Directorate for Benefits and Health
28ης Οκτωβρίου 54 (Πατησίων)/54, 28 Octovriou Ave (Patision)

10682 Αθήνα/Athens
ΕΛΛΑΔΑ/GREECE
E-mail:gd.paroxon@efka.gov.gr
http://www.efka.gov.gr/

Centre for Certifying Invalidity (KEPA)
KEPA contact numbers and addresses:

https://www.efka.gov.gr/el/menoy/kentro-pistopoieses-anaperias-kepa

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