Getting to this stage requires a prior visit and the acquisition of a number. A three or four- hour wait each time is common. Even those who clear the hurdles and keep their benefits are worried about the consequences of the swingeing budget cuts that are now inevitable. “If we’re taking some money, maybe it will be reduced, or maybe it will be cut off,” says Nikoleta Maniati, a neatly dressed 64-year-old who was among those waiting. “We don’t know what is happening.” Motioning towards the official on duty, she adds: “We only hope they know.”