Earlier this year the Child Benefit will be paid by OPEKA and specifically the last working day of December, not January.
By decision of the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, responsible for Welfare and Social Solidarity, Domnas Michaelides, the last instalment of the child benefit will be credited to the accounts of the beneficiaries exceptionally before the New Year, on 31 December, instead of 30 January 2021.
Overall, in 2020, more than 885,000 families with 1.5 million children received the benefit.
The allowance is granted to beneficiaries with children who are subject to compulsory education, provided that there is confirmed enrolment in a school and they have not stayed in the same class due to a high number of absences.
Also, on 31 December, it will be paid together with all monthly allowances and the mountain and disadvantaged areas allowance for the years 2019 and 2020.
The online platform for A21 applications closed
On 11 December 2020 at 00:01 (Friday morning 11/12) the online application platform A21-Child Benefit was temporarily closed, as it happens before each new payment.
As stated in a relevant announcement of the Organisation for Provident Benefits and Social Solidarity (OPEKA), the online platform will not accept new applications until the clearance and payment of the sixth bi-monthly instalment is completed. Once the payment has been completed, the online platform will be reactivated.
Child benefit is calculated on the basis of the dependent children declared on the 2020 A21. Claims will be settled according to the last tax return, which means that only those who submitted this year's tax return will be paid.
It should be clarified that, in order for the child benefit to be granted, the application must be final and approved. An application that has been temporarily stored is considered not to have been submitted and will not be taken into account.
Interested parties can visit the link https://opeka.gr/oikogeneies/epidoma-paidiou/erotiseis-apantiseis, in order to read the frequently asked questions and answers provided by the Agency with clarifications on child benefit.
