The Minister of Social Cohesion and Family, Domna Michailidou, emphasized in Parliament’s Standing Committee on Social Security that the government is steadily strengthening social protection policies — maintaining and increasing welfare benefits while also expanding support tools for families through targeted programs, new services, and tax reforms that raise disposable income and enhance citizens’ autonomy.

Michailidou made special reference to the “return of one out of twelve rents,” a measure taking effect on November 1, stressing that it represents an additional boost to the housing allowance rather than a simple increase.

Details of the Two Measures

• The return of one rent, starting November 1, will provide extra support for 1 million beneficiaries, with a maximum amount of €800. This measure complements the housing benefit, which currently supports around 300,000 households with up to €210 per month.
• The budget for the rent refund amounts to €230 million, on top of the €334 million already allocated to the housing benefit. This means the state is increasing rental assistance by 69% to strengthen citizens’ housing support.

Michailidou underlined that this is a permanent relief mechanism, operating alongside existing benefits and offering a direct financial boost without requiring a new application or eligibility change.

Support for Families with Children

Referring to family support policies, Michailidou highlighted the child benefit (A21) and new tax incentives effective from January 1, 2026, designed to further increase disposable income for households with children.

• A family with four children and an annual income of €38,000 currently receives €168 per month in child benefits. Under the new tax scale, it will gain an additional €360 per month, bringing the total annual benefit to €4,300 more than today.
• Even a family with one child and similar income will save around €50 per month, an amount higher than the lowest child benefit bracket.

The Minister concluded that this dual strategy—strengthening benefits while simultaneously increasing disposable income—reflects the government’s commitment to permanently and fairly supporting households through targeted and effective policies.