Cyprus to allocate €106 million to increase disability benefits by 2028

Cypriot authorities will allocate an additional €106 million to increase benefits for people with disabilities, with the funds to be distributed from this year through 2028. Government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis announced this on Thursday. “Simply put, more support — with no new applications, no bureaucracy and no additional red tape,” he said.

The benefit for families raising a child with a disability under the age of 18 will increase from €848 to €935 per month. The payment for people with disabilities aged 18 and over will rise from €368 to €405. Allowances for blind people and those with severe mobility impairments will increase by 10%, while the mobility allowance was raised by a further 33% in July.

The increases will be applied automatically: recipients will not need to submit a new application, fill out forms or complete any procedures. They will be backdated to the beginning of the year, with the amounts for 2026 to be paid during the final three months.

The support system itself is also changing. Until now, assistance for a person with a disability has in many cases depended on their family’s income. Going forward, benefits for people with severe disabilities will gradually be decoupled from income criteria. “A disability in itself creates additional needs and expenses — regardless of the family’s income,” Letymbiotis explained.

Employment is another focus. The subsidy for “social enterprises” hiring people for special purposes will increase from €10,000 to €25,000, with the scheme operating until 2030. Investments in such enterprises of up to €150,000 will also be tax-exempt. Around 460 people currently participate in employment programmes supported by the government.

Graduates of special education aged over 22 will be offered post-secondary vocational education programmes with personal assistants and career guidance teachers. The government also plans to open day centres, with €4 million allocated for them. They will offer 30 educational programmes for adults, and each visitor will receive €300 for travel to and from the centre.