Hungary expands financial aid: partial school start grants and record agrarian subsidies

The Hungarian government’s promise of a 100,000‑forint school‑start grant for 700,000 families has been only partially fulfilled. Around 400,000 children – roughly a third of the original target – will receive 50,000‑forint vouchers, with the second half of the payment scheduled for November. The reduced support, covering roughly 20 billion forint, is limited to single‑parent families, families receiving child‑care benefits and other vulnerable groups.

In the first quarter of 2026, Hungary disbursed a record 487.7 billion forint in agricultural and rural‑development subsidies. About 59 % of the funds came from the state budget and 41 % from EU sources. The largest share went to arable‑crop producers, followed by livestock farmers, with significant allocations for weather‑damage compensation and agro‑ecological programs. Despite the payout surge, the sector’s loan portfolio contracted by 7.1 % to 929.8 billion forint.