Cyprus parliament approves major disability reform package

On Monday, the Cyprus House of Representatives unanimously approved five bills to modernize the disability welfare framework. The legislation decouples disability benefits from income criteria, aiming to extend support to approximately 10,000 previously ineligible individuals. A key amendment prevents the government from reducing benefits without prior parliamentary approval, while ensuring payments begin from the application date rather than the assessment completion date. New independent living services, such as personal assistants, early family support counsellors, and sign language interpreters, have been established. Existing benefits for the blind, transport allowances, and parking permit regulations are now integrated into this unified system. Funding of 106 million euros has been allocated for the 2026–2028 period. Official, government-led implementation will occur gradually, as emphasized by party representatives during the plenary session. Additionally, an amendment proposed by Charalambos Theopemptou mandates that parliament monitor the implementation of these new laws.