Greece launches prepaid card for social benefits

The Greek Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family introduced a prepaid card system for social benefits on 26 June 2026, with a follow‑up presentation on 29 June. The card consolidates payments for 19 categories of aid administered by the DPYA and OPEKA, allowing beneficiaries to withdraw up to 50 % of each allowance in cash and use the remainder for purchases via the card.

Since March 2025, more than 963 000 applications have been approved and 877 019 individual recipients have received payments through the new platform. Over €2.17 trillion in benefits have been disbursed, including 647 600 child‑benefit A21 recipients, 203 734 minimum guaranteed income beneficiaries, 91 340 birth‑allowance recipients and 767 adoption‑support recipients. The system, funded by the EU’s NextGeneration EU programme, is promoted as a simpler, safer and more transparent way to deliver welfare payments.

Minister Domna Michailidou highlighted that the card reduces bureaucracy, improves security and enhances transparency, while special provisions remain for visually impaired beneficiaries who still receive payments via bank accounts.