With three years austerity delay, Greek government finally managed to implement a pilot scheme for “guaranteed minimum income”. The program will be initially implemented in 13 municipalities across the country. It refers to 700,000 people living in conditions of extreme poverty.
Under the program, one-person households will receive 200 euros per month, couples will get 300 euros. For each child under the age of 18, the household will receive 50 euro, and 100 euro if the child is over 18.
The program will apply to individuals or families who have no other source of income. People with small incomes will be able to apply but they will receive a smaller benefit.
Example:
one-person household: 200 euro per month
single parent, one child: 250 euro per month
two parents, two children: 400 euro
However there are additional criteria in case the individual or family owes a home.
The program also foresees measures for the social protection of the needy and measures so that they can return to the labor market – (in a country with no job vacancies!….).
The program will be implemented as of 1.1.2015.
Greek media report that it was the country’s lenders, the Troika, that put pressure on the Greek government to finally proceed with the guaranteed minimum income program.
Greece is almost the last EU country to implement such a program despite the fact that the number of people living below the poverty line skyrocketed after 4 years of strict austerity and high unemployment. According to recent report of Greek Statistics Authority, 6.3 million people, more than 60% of Greece’s population, lives in poverty or is at risk of poverty.
In equally IMF-hit Ireland the guaranteed minimum wage for individuals is 806 euro, and 1,605 for family with two kids. In Luxembourg, individuals get 1,283 euro and families with two kids 2,158 euro.
YES! I want to be poor in Luxembourg 🙂
Click here to see in which municipalities the program will be implemented (in Greek!)
PS Just read on Twitter: Next step will be the “guaranteed minimum WiFi access”
😛
