Greek retirees await delayed 11‑month pension retroactive payments

Around 370,000 Greek pensioners have won court rulings ordering the payment of retroactive benefits for the 11‑month period from June 2015 to May 2016. The amounts, including up to seven years of interest, can reach roughly €4,000 gross per person.

Payments are being processed slowly: the social security agency EFKA has paid only about 20,000 beneficiaries so far, while thousands remain awaiting final decisions or execution of judgments. Many deceased retirees require their heirs to gather extensive documentation, further delaying payouts.

The retroactive sums are subject to multiple withholdings – up to six different taxes and contributions that can reduce the net amount by as much as 50%. The issue remains a political flashpoint, after the 2020 government discouraged court actions and later limited new legal challenges, leaving only those who filed appeals before the deadline eligible for the payments.