In Parliament filed the regulation for increase in birth allowance from 400 to 1,500 euros, as well as the possibility of paying part of the subsidy in advance to Renovate – Rent program, provisions of the competence of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, which are included in a relevant bill of the Ministry of Finance entitled “Terms for the utilization of public property in coastal areas and other provisions”. Also, the funding of 18,500,000 euros from the regular budget is provided for beneficiaries of disabled persons and they concern access to Creative Employment Center structures.
The bill, which was filed on Friday 2/16/24 in Parliament and will be introduced for discussion next Tuesday /2/24 in the Standing Committee on Economic Affairsprovides for the increase in birth allowance (costing: approximately 80-90 million euros, taking into account the positive effect of the measure on the number of births).
According to sources from the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, the regulation increases the birth allowance granted by the Welfare Benefits and Social Solidarity Organization. The new, increased amount is graduated according to the number of dependent children of each family as it is formed following the birth of the child, with the aim of encouraging and supporting families.
More specifically, an increase of four hundred (400) euros is established for the first dependent child, escalating for each subsequent child and reaching the additional amount of one thousand five hundred (1,500) euros for beneficiaries with four (4) or more dependent children before birth .
Escalation of the grant amount progressively increases the aid received by families with more children, aiming at encouragement to have more children. It is foreseen, retroactive application of the measure, for every child born from 1.1.2023 (Estimated cost of retrospective application of measure: 41,921,900 euros)
What is changing in the “Renovate-Rent” Program
Provision is also made for the advance payment of part of the subsidy (€50 million) to the “Renovate-Rent” Program.
Specifically, with the regulation filed, the possibility of paying part of the subsidy in advance is added to the beneficiaries of the program. The purpose of this addition is to improve the attractiveness of the program and to best attract and serve the immediate needs of the beneficiaries. In addition, they can participate in the program owners or usufructuary with a percentage of ownership/usufruct even equal to 50%, while until now it was stipulated that this percentage had to be greater than 50% on the property. The above amendment was deemed necessary in order not to exclude couples or families with ideal shares on the respective property.
In addition, with the regulation, the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family undertakes the entire budget of the program, amounting to 50 million, by finding the necessary funds from its regular budget and aiming to immediately start the implementation of the program.
It is reminded that the “Renovate to Rent” program aims to increase the number of homes available for rent and concerns the subsidy of the cost of the renovation for vacant houses to be rented, up to 40% on the invoices for works and renovation materials and up to €10,000. Part of the subsidy, up to 50%, can be given as an advance. Also, the goal is to make use of 12,500 empty houses.
KDAP vouchers for the disabled amounting to 18 million euros
Finally, in a provision concerning the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family and included in the draft law of the Ministry of Finance, it is also provided for the funding from the regular budget of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, in addition to other sources of funding, of benefits addressed to beneficiaries of persons with disabilities and concern access to Creative Employment Center structures for people with disabilities, due to exhaustion of other funding sources.
The goal is the benefit of all our fellow citizens with disabilities and families with members with disabilities, who for the second year in a row benefit from the program by receiving support for access to facilities for disabled people.
The allocation of the additional amount of 18,500,000 euros from the regular budget of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family confirms the non-negotiable priority of the government for inclusion and equal opportunities. This amount corresponds to 3,000 vouchers.
It is recalled that within the framework of the program: the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family is already funding, in addition to other funding sources, vouchers for the access of all beneficiaries to nurseries and daycare centers, amounting to 291,200,000 euros.
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