Cabinet approves Easter allowance for low-income pensioners

Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal by the labour minister for paying an Easter allowance to low-income pensioners.

Eligible are pensioners already receiving a low-income allowance and whose income is up to €6,500 for a single person and up to €11,000 for couples. Around 17,000 people are beneficiaries with the cost reaching €3.8m.

The payment of the allowance is based on the total income of the household last year, meaning that for this year the incomes of 2020 will be taken into account. An official announcement clarified that the allowance concerns only pensioners.

The amount of the allowance is €190 for single-person households who meet the criteria and €380 for couples.

The money is expected to be deposited in beneficiaries’ accounts by April 23. Beneficiaries are not required to fill out any applications for the Easter allowance.

The labour ministry recalls that, following other government decisions, the maximum allowance for low-income pensioners was raised from €150 to €369, ensuring that all beneficiaries will have a total income of over €710 per month to make sure it is above the poverty line. Low-income pensioners are also entitled to a Christmas allowance, free four-day vacations per year, free medical care through Gesy and free public transport, it added.