Greece’s €400 pensioner payment is set to land on 30 November, with about 2.2 million people expected to receive it. However, not every pensioner qualifies. Here is a simple guide to the new rules.
A permanent annual boost, not a one-off
The payment is an annual support that Greece now pays every November. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the rise to €400 at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) in September. By comparison, eligible pensioners received €250 last year, and in April 2026 the government had planned €300.
The rules sit in Article 19 of a Ministry of National Economy and Finance bill containing the TIF support measures. The bill is in public consultation until 1 November, and the government aims to pass it in November, ERT reports. As a result, the details below reflect the draft law and could still change.
Who qualifies for the €400 pensioner payment
Under the bill, the following groups qualify:
- Pensioners aged 65 and over who received a main pension in September. For this first payment, they must have turned 65 by 31 December 2025.
- Pensioners aged 60 and over who receive only a survivor’s (widow’s) pension, without their own old-age pension.
- People with disabilities of any age who receive the relevant disability pensions or welfare benefits.
- Uninsured elderly people who receive the relevant OPEKA benefits.
Crucially, there are no longer any income or property tests. Previously, a single pensioner earning more than €25,000 a year, or a couple earning more than €35,000, could miss out, according to Capital.gr. Property limits of €300,000 and €400,000 also applied. Now a retired couple who both qualify will receive €800 between them.
Who misses out
Two main groups will not receive the money this year:
- Old-age pensioners under 65, unless they fall into one of the special categories above.
- Pensioners who turn 65 during 2026. Even someone who turned 65 in January 2026 misses out this time. Instead, they should receive the payment in November 2027.
Critics say the age-only test creates new unfairness. For example, Newsit points out that a 70-year-old with an income of €30,000 will get the €400, while a 64-year-old pensioner on just €8,000 a year will not.
When and how it is paid
Labour Minister Niki Kerameus has said the €400 will be paid at the end of November, together with December pensions. The date given is 30 November, although the money may appear in bank accounts a few days earlier, depending on the official payment schedule.
Importantly, nobody needs to apply for the €400 pensioner payment. The money goes automatically into recipients’ bank accounts, and e-EFKA will offer an online service to check eligibility.
The amount is paid net, without tax or deductions. It also cannot be seized or offset against debts to the state, social security funds or banks. Moreover, anyone who fits more than one category receives the payment only once.
What it costs
Overall, the measure costs €879 million a year, according to figures reported by SKAI. Most of that, €712 million, goes to about 1.78 million pensioners aged over 65.
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