Disability benefits in Cyprus are going up 10%, backdated to January 1, and more people will now qualify, under the first phase of a new Personal Assistance and Home Care Allowance.
The new allowance began on August 1, part of a wider push to help people with disabilities live more independently and take a fuller part in society.
Which benefits are being folded in
Six existing benefits are being merged into the new allowance:
- Blind Persons’ Allowance
- Severe Mobility Disability Allowance
- Paraplegic Care Allowance
- Quadriplegic Care Allowance
- Disability Allowance
- Home Care Grant
Nobody currently receiving one of these will lose money. Existing amounts carry over automatically, plus the increase.
How the back payments work
Even though the new allowance only started in August, the 10% increase applies retroactively from January 1. Recipients will get a one-off payment covering that gap.
For home care specifically, the top-up equals 10% of what each person already receives.
Because everyone’s approved amount is different, back payments won’t be the same for everyone. The exact payment date will be confirmed once the necessary IT and checking work is done.
No need to reapply
If you already receive one of these benefits, you don’t need to do anything — no new application, no paperwork. The switch to the new system, and the increase itself, happens automatically.
It’s still worth double-checking your bank details and contact information are up to date, so there’s no delay getting paid. The increase may show up as a separate payment rather than folded into your usual monthly amount.
Who can apply for the first time
The rollout to new applicants is happening in stages. Right now, you can apply if you are:
- A child under 18 with a disability
- Eligible for the Blind Persons’ Allowance
- Living with a severe mobility disability
- Living with paraplegia or quadriplegia
- Under 65 and receiving the Guaranteed Minimum Income
- Approaching your 65th birthday
- Someone whose Disability Allowance was stopped, but who still holds valid certification of a severe disability or moderate intellectual disability
Forms are available online, at district offices in Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca, or at any Citizen Service Centre. Send completed forms back by post or drop them off in person, following the instructions on the form.
Moving away from income tests
One of the bigger shifts here: disability support is gradually being separated from the income and asset tests used for the Guaranteed Minimum Income. The government’s reasoning is that support should be based on what someone actually needs, not just their bank balance or their family’s.
This won’t happen all at once — new groups will be added gradually as capacity allows. The goal is about 5,000 more people covered within three years, with the system continuing to grow after 2028.
Choosing your own carer
People with disabilities will also be able to choose their own personal assistant or home carer, rather than have one assigned. It’s meant to give people more say over their own day-to-day support.
For questions, call 1450 (Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm), or contact your local disability services office.
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