Criteria for disbursement of OPECA and DYPA payments are reviewed. Unemployment benefit under the microscope, as well as child, minimum guaranteed income and housing benefits.
In particular, changes to unemployment benefit, a redesign of the way the benefit is calculated and an increase in its duration are around the corner. The new unemployment benefit will be front-loaded, so that the unemployed will receive a higher amount for the first two to three months and a lower amount once the subsidy period ends.
With this, the unemployed will have an incentive to join the labor market sooner, taking advantage of the two-month and three-month higher subsidy. The basic payment is considered to be 70% of the minimum wage (instead of 61.4% now), i.e. 580 euros instead of 509.6 euros, for the first two or three months, which will then decrease to 60% or 50%. Salary.
The total amount remains the same, except that the unemployed person receives more at the beginning and less at the end of the subsidy. An additional amount will be added to the new allowance depending on the years of service and the salary received by the unemployed during their employment.
A large proportion of low-income beneficiaries receive two or three different benefits
The unemployed will be encouraged to join the labor market sooner by taking advantage of the two-month high subsidy.
This bonus payment can be increased, for example from 10% to 30%. Seniority bonus will be given to the unemployed who have been working for more than 3 years.
At the same time, the criteria for payment of seasonal allowance to those working in tourism and related industries will be tightened. employment.
reformation
At the same time, a task force set up in the Ministry of Social Integration and Family continues to reform and expand the conditions for justice in the child benefits, minimum guaranteed income and housing system. The objective is to provide benefits to those who need them, and therefore the Committee will scrutinize all award conditions to ensure fairness.
Among the benefits under review are child benefit received by 605,000 families, housing benefit received by 238,000 families and guaranteed minimum income received by 185,000 beneficiaries.
It has been established that a high percentage of beneficiaries (low income earners) receive two or three different benefits. For example, the minimum guaranteed income (200-500 euros per month, depending on family members) and child benefit (105 or 63 or 42 euros for the first and second child and 210 or 126 or 84 euros for the third and each subsequent child). If they live in a rented accommodation, they also receive a housing allowance (€220 per month).
Regarding child benefit, the government’s financial staff is examining whether to increase the benefit to such an extent that it does not cause financial problems.
In particular, the wage increase has led to many parents not being entitled to child benefits this year, and as a result an amount could be used to increase the amount of child benefits.
The allowance for the first and second child is 70 euros, 42 euros, 28 euros and for the third and each child 140 euros, 84 euros and 56 euros, depending on income.
For Minimum Guaranteed Income and Housing, since beneficiaries’ income is hidden and established who receives it, conditions of provision are examined.