countries - cy - Social protection

Social protection

Financial Assistance for Disabled People's Special Needs Benefit and Sponsoring of Disability Organisations Benefit: This scheme is in force since 1988 and it aims to facilitate the living conditions of disabled people, promote independent living and equal participation of disabled people in the society and economy. This is expected to be achieved through the provision of technical means and other equipment. In 2007, a total of CY£ 284.831,27 was allocated through this scheme to 454 individuals who required technical means and other equipment. A total of CY£ 64.900 was allocated to disability organizations to cover their expenses.

Holidays for Disabled People Benefit: This scheme is in force since 1998 and it aims to sponsor the holidays of disabled people and their families in hotels around Cyprus. This benefit is allocated to disabled people who are not recipients of any other benefit. In 2007, 193 individuals applied for this benefit and a total of CY£ 72.621,74 was spent.

Financial Assistance for Wheelchairs Benefit for People with Severe Mobility Impairment: This scheme is in force since 1999. In 2007, a total of CY£ 89.948,90 was spent to 128 individuals who applied for a wheelchair.

Wheelchair Distribution Scheme: This scheme is about lending used wheelchairs to people who need them. The wheelchairs belong to the Service for the Care of Disabled People, which is responsible for completing the necessary procedures.

Public Assistance Allowance: It is allocated to specific groups of the population in an attempt to reduce the risk of poverty. It ensures the right to a decent standard of living through the provision of financial assistance and/or social services to persons, whose resources are not sufficient to meet their basic and special needs as determined by legislation. Basic needs include food, clothing and footwear, electricity, supply of water, healthy living conditions and pocket money allowance. Special needs include rent, special diet and disability allowances, as well as allowances for home care, day care and residential care. It is also possible to provide assistance for house repairs, mortgage interest, heating etc.

Reinforcement of Families Scheme for Caring about the Elderly or/and Disabled Members of the Family: This scheme allocates up to CY£ 7,000 for changes in buildings so that they become accessible for their elderly or disabled members. In 2007, eleven families received this allowance.

Sponsoring of Holidays Schemes for Elderly People and for Disabled People who are also Recipients of the Public Assistance Allowance: This scheme sponsors holidays in Cyprus for elderly people (63+) and disabled people who are also recipients of the Public Assistance Allowance. The allowance is CY£ 150 for holidays with duration of six days. When necessary the amount of CY£ 150 is also allocated for an assistant.

Rehabilitation and re-training

Rehabilitation services are offered in public hospitals. There is no official data about the percentage of the recipients of rehabilitation services.

Re-training programmes are offered at the Centre of Vocational Rehabilitation of Disabled People. This is a state centre which runs a limited number of training programmes for disabled people. There is no official data on how many people are trained in the Centre.

Preferential employment and quotas

There is no official data on disabled people's employment.

There is piecemeal legislation regarding employment, giving priority to the hiring of different groups of disabled people in the Civil Service. In what follows, the most important acts are listed:

The 1987 Civil Educational Service (Amended) Act (N.180/87, Amendatory Act of N.10/69 Civil Educational Service Act): It legitimizes a quota of 3% for hiring disabled people in the Civil Educational Service and a quota of 5% for hiring people who became disabled as a result of war.

The 1988 Blind Telephone Operators Act (N.17/1988): It legitimizes the right of blind telephone operators who possess all the required qualifications to have a priority whenever there are vacancies of telephone operators in the Civil Service, the Civil Educational Service, and in legal persons of public right. In case that there are no blind candidates, other disabled people can be employed according to priority, having in mind that they possess all the necessary qualifications.

The 1990 Civil Service Act (N.1/1990): It gives priority to the hiring of disabled people in the cases they demonstrate equal qualifications with other candidates.

The 1992 Vocational Rehabilitation of Disabled People and Depended Persons of Killed, Missing, Disabled and Pent Persons Act (N.53(I)/1992): It legitimizes a quota of 10% for the hiring in the Civil Service of disabled people and depended persons of killed, missing, disabled and pent persons.

The 1997 Vocational Rehabilitation of War Disabled People and Children of Missing Persons Act (N.55(I)/97)

The 1998 Vocational Rehabilitation of War Victims and Children of Pent Persons (N.100(I)/1998): It legitimizes a quota of 10% for the hiring in the Civil Service of war (disabled) victims and children of pent persons.

Long-term support and care

There is no official data on how much is spent for long-term support and care.

The Public Assistance Allowance ensures the right to a decent standard of living through the provision of financial assistance and/or social services to persons, whose resources are not sufficient to meet their basic and special needs as determined by legislation.

The current annual rate of allowance for basic need is: CY£ 2,678 for the recipient (head of household); CY£ 1,339 for every dependant aged 14 and over;  CY£ 709 for every dependent aged under 14.

Recipients who are not home owners receive a rent allowance equal to 50% of the total monthly allowance. In case of a disabled recipient, an additional disability allowance, equal to 50% the personal basic allowance, is payable.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance runs two schemes for elderly and disabled people:

Reinforcement of Families Scheme for Caring about the Elderly or/and Disabled Members of the Family: This scheme allocates up to CY£ 7,000 for changes in buildings so that they become accessible for their elderly or disabled members. In 2007, eleven families received this allowance.

Sponsoring of Holidays Schemes for Elderly People and for Disabled People who are also Recipients of the Public Assistance Allowance: This scheme sponsors holidays in Cyprus for elderly people (63+) and disabled people who are also recipients of the Public Assistance Allowance. The allowance is CY£ 150 for holidays with duration of six days. When necessary the amount of CY£ 150 is also allocated for an assistant.

It should be noted that the allowances and benefits described above are available through different departments of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, which makes it quite difficult for disabled people to claim them.