€300 annual payment: Who could miss out and who could receive more
Hundreds of thousands of pensioners in Greece could be excluded from the planned annual financial payment due to an age requirement, while the government is also considering increasing the benefit from €300 to as much as €400.
The annual support payment is currently scheduled to be paid by the end of November 2026. Under the rules currently in place, eligible pensioners would receive €300, subject to income, asset and age criteria.
Who could miss out because of their age?
Despite the expansion of the income and asset thresholds, the main eligibility condition remains reaching the age of 65 by December 31, 2025.
There are exceptions for certain categories of beneficiaries. For pensioners receiving exclusively a survivor’s pension, the age threshold is reportedly set at 60.
As a result, some pensioners who retired early, receive reduced pensions or fall below the applicable age threshold could be excluded from the payment, regardless of their income level.
According to available figures cited in the report, around 473,700 pensioners could be excluded solely because of the age criterion. The total number of people who could miss the payment because they fail to meet the various eligibility requirements is estimated to approach half a million.
Benefit could rise to €350 or €400
At the same time, a more favorable scenario is being considered for those who qualify.
The annual payment could potentially increase from €300 to €350 or even €400, depending on the state of Greece’s public finances and the available fiscal space.
The government is expected to clarify the issue as part of the economic measures to be presented at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF).
Until an official decision is announced, however, the only confirmed scenario remains the €300 payment under the existing eligibility criteria.
If an increase is approved, the higher payment would provide additional financial support to eligible pensioners ahead of the winter months.
