The distribution of heating oil will begin on Friday, October 14, with the price ranging from 1.40 to 1.55 euros per liter after the 25-cent subsidy at the pump. Last year at this time, the premiere of heating oil sales took place, without any subsidy, at 1.16 euros per liter, while before the end of the winter season the price of oil reached 1.60 euros per liter, with the result that the purchase cost is prohibitive for those who wanted to fill tanks in advance for this winter.

At the Ministry of Finance, they are preparing the ministerial decision that will determine the criteria, the conditions, the beneficiaries, the lower and upper amount of the heating allowance and the households that will receive double the heating allowance. The decision is expected to be issued in the coming days, while the myHeating platform for submitting applications will be open until the beginning of November. The first heating allowance payments will ‘run’ in December and the finance staff’s aim is for most households who will have bought heating oil to see the amount of allowance they are entitled to in their bank account by Christmas or the end of December at the latest.

Triple support

State support for households that will use heating oil to keep warm in winter is threefold:

1. Subsidy at the pump: From 14 October to 31 December 2022 heating oil will be sold cheaper by 25 cents (20 cents + VAT) per liter due to the government subsidy at the pump. At the end of December and depending on the oil prices that will prevail in the market, it will be decided to extend the measure in 2023.

2. Old beneficiaries: Households that heat with heating oil and received a heating allowance last year will receive a larger heating allowance this year due to the increase from 300 to 350 euros of the basis for calculating the allowance. For example, a household with two children permanently residing in Florina will receive an allowance of 578 euros this year, up from 496 euros last year. The lower and upper amount of the allowance will be determined by the KYA.

3. New Beneficiaries: All new beneficiaries will get double allowance. This category includes both households that are entitled to a heating allowance for the first time due to the expansion of income limits, as well as those that will use oil as a heating source for the first time. For example, a family with two children who lives in an apartment in Athens received a subsidy of 180.6 euros last year for heating with natural gas. This year if he replaces natural gas with oil, he will receive a double increased allowance which reaches 421.4 euros.

Settings

The joint ministerial decision will also define the following:

– Income limits: The income limit amounts to 16,000 euros for single individuals and 24,000 euros for couples, which is increased by 3,000 euros for each child.

– The property criteria remain unchanged at 180,000 euros of immovable property value for unmarried persons and 300,000 euros of immovable property value for couples.