Greece is set to launch a pilot version of its new National Registry of Benefits and Financial Aid in early June, creating for the first time a unified database recording all welfare payments and social benefits received by individual beneficiaries.

The initiative aims to centralize information from multiple public agencies in order to improve oversight, verify eligibility criteria and provide the government with a clearer picture of state support distribution.

During the pilot phase, which will run from June 4 to September 30, authorities will collect data on recipients of 27 different benefits and assistance programs related mainly to social protection, housing, disability support and unemployment aid.

According to the joint ministerial decision signed by officials from the finance, digital governance and social policy ministries, the registry is designed to support policy planning and evaluation, monitor the fiscal impact of welfare programs and strengthen auditing procedures regarding eligibility requirements.

The system will also allow citizens to access information about the benefits recorded under their names.

Several public bodies will participate in the pilot program, including the ministries of finance and social cohesion, the national welfare agency OPEKA, the public employment service and other organizations involved in funding or administering social support programs.

The benefits included in the first phase cover a broad range of social assistance measures, including heating subsidies, child benefits, birth allowances, foster care support, housing benefits, guaranteed minimum income payments, unemployment aid and disability-related financial assistance.

Programs supporting homeless people, uninsured elderly citizens and individuals with severe disabilities will also be included in the registry.

Following the pilot phase, the finance ministry is expected to submit an evaluation report outlining the system’s results, challenges and possible improvements before full implementation.