Greece today: catch-up child benefit, November pension dates and a planned heating-oil subsidy

Catch-up child benefit paid on Friday 9 October

ΟΠΕΚΑ (OPEKA), the welfare benefits agency, will pay a supplementary instalment of child benefit (επίδομα παιδιού, form A21) on Friday 9 October to 49,545 beneficiaries who applied on time, €7,671,724.02 in total.³ These applications missed the main payment on 30 September because of a technical problem at ΗΔΙΚΑ (IDIKA), the state IT company, with updating children's school-enrolment data.⁴⁵ Greek press reports said the money would show in accounts from the afternoon of 8 October.⁶⁷ New applications, or changes to existing ones, can be made until 18:00 on Friday 13 November.³ OPEKA says applications still under review will be included in the November 2026 payment if approved.³

November pensions: paid on 26 and 29 October

e-ΕΦΚΑ (e-EFKA), the national social-security agency, has set the dates for November pensions, which are paid in late October.¹² On Monday 26 October it pays main pensions from the former self-employed funds OAEE, OGA and ETAA (ΟΑΕΕ, ΟΓΑ, ΕΤΑΑ), main pensions for people who retired from 1 January 2017 onwards, and all private-sector supplementary pensions.¹² On Thursday 29 October it pays main pensions from the former employee funds, including IKA-ETAM (ΙΚΑ-ΕΤΑΜ), plus all public-sector main and supplementary pensions.¹² Full dates: our pension payment guide.

Heating-oil subsidy planned from 15 October, amount not yet set

An amendment tabled in Parliament on 7 October would use the state budget to subsidise heating oil sold on the domestic market from 15 to 31 October.⁸⁹¹² The amount per litre is not in the amendment: it would be set by a joint ministerial decision (κοινή υπουργική απόφαση, KYA), which, according to reports, three ministers are authorised to issue before 15 October.⁸⁹¹² The subsidy would go to refineries and fuel traders, calculated once on the net invoice value before VAT, with the aim that the full benefit passes to consumers.^8101113 Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on 20 September that the target was a starting price below €1.75 a litre.¹⁴⁹

e-EFKA opens an online questions and complaints channel on 12 October

From Monday 12 October, e-EFKA will run a new online channel for questions, reports and complaints, as part of its new integrated IT system.²⁰²¹ People will be able to submit them without having to email different contact points or visit an office in person.²⁰ Each submission is sent automatically to the department responsible, so that it can be examined and answered.²⁰

Primary and kindergarten teachers strike on 21 October

DOE (Διδασκαλική Ομοσπονδία Ελλάδας, ΔΟΕ), the primary teachers' federation, has called a 24-hour strike in primary schools and kindergartens across Greece on Wednesday 21 October.¹⁵¹⁶ It cites staffing gaps, working conditions, compulsory overtime and evaluation.¹⁶¹⁷¹⁸ Schools do not close automatically, since that depends on how many teachers strike, so parents should check with their school.¹⁷¹⁸ DOE is already holding work stoppages from 1 to 30 October that cover the compulsory overtime hours teachers have been given.¹⁹