OPEKA opens applications for income support for families in mountainous and disadvantaged areas
Applications have opened in Greece for annual income support aimed at low-income families living in mountainous and disadvantaged areas, with eligible households able to apply until October 30, 2026.
The Organization of Social Solidarity and Benefits (OPEKA) said applications for the program opened on September 1 and will remain available until the October 30 deadline.
The scheme aims to provide financial assistance to low-income families while helping address population decline and the abandonment of settlements in mountainous and disadvantaged areas.
Eligible residents can apply electronically through OPEKA's digital platform using their personal TaxisNet credentials. Those who need assistance with the online process can also submit their applications through Citizens' Service Centres (KEP), where staff can complete the procedure on their behalf.
Applications must be fully completed and formally submitted electronically for them to be considered valid.
Support ranges from €300 to €600
The amount of annual financial support depends on the household's total annual income.
Families with an annual income of up to €3,000 are eligible for a €600 payment, while households with annual income between €3,000.01 and €4,700 can receive €300.
Applicants must meet several eligibility requirements. Family members must have maintained permanent residence in an area officially classified as mountainous or disadvantaged for at least two years before the application date, while the household's total annual income must not exceed €4,700.
OPEKA states that eligibility is assessed on the basis of the family rather than the residence itself. Single-parent households can therefore also qualify if they meet the program's requirements.
Single-parent families included
Under the scheme, a family consists of spouses who are legally married or have entered into a cohabitation agreement, together with unmarried minor children living in the same household.
A single-parent family may consist of an unmarried, widowed, separated or divorced parent—or a parent whose spouse is serving a prison sentence—who has sole temporary or permanent custody of one or more unmarried minor children.
Children who turn 18 during the year in which the application is submitted are also treated as minors for the purposes of the benefit.
Information provided in applications will be electronically verified through Greece's Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE). Authorities may request additional information or documentation from applicants if necessary.
OPEKA has urged eligible residents not to wait until the final day to apply and to ensure that their applications are completed in full and formally submitted online.
The deadline for applications is October 30, 2026.
