are unable to work on account of health conditions, who are in turn also excluded from accessing the benefits of the Organisation of Welfare Benefits and Social Solidarity (OPEKA) (See Healthcare).1484 Types of social benefits In order to have access to social benefits in Greece (see below), a beneficiary of international protection must have lived legally and permanently in Greece for a minimum of five years but, depending on the social benefit, this requirement can extend to more than a decade of permanent legal stay. As to the reasons for such requirements, which can amount to indirect discrimination against beneficiaries of international protection in Greece, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs explained, in response to a Parliamentary question concerning inter alia the childbirth allowance, “this choice is the product of reflection on the economic repercussions of such a measure under inflexible financial conditions”.1485 Housing allowance: Housing allowance is provided to families that can demonstrate five years of permanent, uninterrupted and legal stay in Greece. 1486 As a result, the majority of beneficiaries of international protection are excluded from this benefit. Single mother allowance: The allowance for single mothers is provided to those who can provide proof of their family situation, e.g., divorce, death certificate, birth certificate. With no access to the authorities of their country, many mothers are excluded because they cannot provide the necessary documents. Family status certificates issued by the Asylum Service are not accepted for the purpose of certifying single parenthood. Single child allowance: The single child support allowance replaced the pre-existing housing allowance and is provided explicitly to refugees or beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, that can demonstrate five years of permanent, uninterrupted and legal stay in Greece. 1487 Birth allowance: The birth allowance is granted to any mother who is legally and permanently residing in Greece and amounts to € 2,000 for every child born in Greece. Third country nationals are entitled to receive this allowance if they can demonstrate 12 years of permanent stay in Greece. Exceptionally for the births that will take place in the years 2020-2023 the allowance will be granted to any mother – third country national, who has been permanently residing in Greece since 2012. The permanent stay is proved with the submission of tax declarations. Hence, the vast majority of beneficiaries of international protection are practically excluded from this benefit.1488 Student allowance: Beneficiaries of international protection are excluded by law from the social allowance granted to students, which amounts to €1,000 annually. According to the law, this allowance is provided only to Greek nationals and EU citizens. 1489 Disability benefits: Beneficiaries of international protection with disabilities also face great difficulties in their efforts to access welfare benefits. First, they have to be examined by the Disability Accreditation Centre to assess whether their disability is at a level above 67%, in order to be eligible for the Severe Disability Allowance.1490 Even if this is successfully done, there are often significant delays in the procedure. Beneficiaries of international protection receive a message from e-Government Centre for Social Security (IDIKA) informing them that in view of the expiry of their residence permit within three months and in order to avoid problems with the payment of the social benefit, they should submit the new residence permit or the application for renewal of the residence permit at a Community Centre in their place of residence. 1484 1485 1486 1487 1488 1489 1490 Also see RSA and Stiftung Pro Asyl, Recognised refugees in Greece 2025, March 2025, available at: https://tinyurl.com/3emyk5w3, pp. 22-24. Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Reply to parliamentary question by KINAL, 27512/2023, 14 March 2023. Article 3(6) Law 4472/2017, inserted by Article 17 Law 4659/2020. Residence is established based on the submission of tax declarations within the requisite deadlines. Article 214 Law 4512/2018, as amended by Article 15 Law 4659/2020. Articles 1 and 7 Law 4659/2020. Article 10 L 3220/2004. JMD Γ4α/Φ. 225/161, Gov. Gazette 108/B/15.2.1989. 288