The first HUF 50,000 instalment of Hungary’s new school-starting allowance has begun reaching eligible families, with the government saying the scheme will support the families of more than 400,000 children.

Hungary has begun paying the first instalment of a new HUF 100,000 (roughly EUR 275) school-starting allowance to eligible families, Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced on Monday.

“Today we began the payment of the first instalment of the HUF 100,000 school-starting support to the families of 400,000 children,” Magyar said in a Facebook post, adding: “We promised it, and we delivered it.”

The first payment amounts to HUF 50,000 (EUR 138) and is being distributed ahead of the new school year to help families cover the costs associated with starting school.

Second HUF 50,000 payment coming in November

The remaining HUF 50,000 will be paid by the end of November in the form of a voucher that can be used for the child’s schooling needs. According to the government, the support is intended to help with significant back-to-school expenses, including school supplies, clothing and other essential items.

The first instalment is being paid by the Hungarian State Treasury in the same way as the family allowance. Families who receive their family allowance into a bank account will receive the school-starting support in the same account, while those who receive it in cash will receive the money through the post.

The school-starting allowance is paid separately from the family allowance. The State Treasury is also bringing forward the payment of September’s family allowance, as well as several other family support benefits, including GYES, GYED, CSED and GYET.

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Who is eligible for the HUF 100,000 support?

The new benefit is targeted at families considered to be in greater need of financial assistance. Eligibility depends on several conditions. According to a statement by the Hungarian government, the child must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • be eligible for regular child protection benefits;
  • have a long-term illness or severe disability and therefore qualify for a higher family allowance;
  • have special educational needs;
  • participate in the Dobbantó programme or workshop-school training;
  • be raised by a single parent;
  • live in the child protection care system; or
  • receive an orphan’s benefit.

In addition, family allowance must be paid for the child for August, with at least one of the above conditions already applying at that time. The child must also attend a public education or vocational training institution, or be starting their first year of school in September.

No application is required

Eligible families do not need to submit an application for the payment. The government says the payments will be arranged automatically using existing official registers, meaning parents do not need to register, submit a separate request or complete any forms.

The HUF 100,000 benefit is also tax-free and cannot be subject to enforcement proceedings, meaning the full amount is intended to remain available for the child’s needs.

With the first HUF 50,000 now being distributed and the second instalment due by 30 November, the government says the scheme will provide direct financial help to the families of more than 400,000 children as the new school year begins.

Read more here: Who will receive Hungary’s new back-to-school grant? Magyar government reveals important details