Greek Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis on Tuesday announced a 30% rise in the annual benefit for heating oil to curb the impact of surging energy costs on households.

In a televised address, Pierrakakis said the state will also offer a heating oil subsidy at the pump.

“In a difficult international climate, with the energy crisis testing the resilience of households around the world, our priority is to reduce the pressure on families,” he said, adding the benefit will help hundreds of thousands of households across the country.

Athens has already raised and extended diesel fuel discounts through mid-October and plans power subsidies worth up to €95 million for energy-intensive industries pending approval by the European Commission.