The Cyprus Paraplegic Organisation is calling for an immediate increase of at least 30% in care allowances for people with paraplegia and tetraplegia, saying the benefits have remained unchanged since 2019 while the cost of living has risen sharply.
At a press conference, the Organisation’s president, Dimitris Lambrinidis, said that despite sustained economic growth and budget surpluses in recent years, social welfare policies had not kept pace with the real needs of people with disabilities.
The figures
Around 2,500 people in Cyprus live with paraplegia or tetraplegia and rely on a wheelchair daily, according to figures presented by the Organisation. The overall cost of living in Cyprus has risen by more than 17% in recent years, with some categories rising even more sharply — food prices up 19.2%, energy up 26.1%, and unprocessed food up 31.3%, according to Eurostat data presented by the Organisation.
Despite these increases, care allowances have not been adjusted since 2019. The basic care allowance for people with paraplegia currently stands at €400 per month, rising to €500 for those with greater care needs. For people with tetraplegia, the basic allowance is €900 per month, rising to €1,100 for increased care needs.
Who receives what
According to the Organisation’s figures, 1,332 people currently receive the basic paraplegia care allowance and 273 receive the increased rate. For tetraplegia, 904 people receive the basic allowance and 224 receive the increased rate.
Lambrinidis said the real cost of care for a person with tetraplegia exceeds €3,000 per month, and noted that the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare had itself acknowledged the need for a meaningful review of the allowances within the framework of new legislation. No increase had been granted to date, he said. “With these figures, what exactly are we talking about when we say independent living?” he said.
What the Organisation is demanding
Beyond the 30% increase, the Organisation is calling for an annual adjustment mechanism to ensure allowances keep pace with the real cost of living. It is also seeking an increase in financial assistance for vehicle purchase, an extension of the mobility allowance to non-working people with paraplegia, and an amendment to the Minimum Guaranteed Income rules so that a low salary earned by a spouse or child is not counted as income of the person with a disability.
The total annual cost of care allowances for severe mobility disabilities, paraplegia and tetraplegia currently stands at approximately €33 million, according to the Organisation’s figures.
The Organisation said social welfare requires immediate action, stressing that equality, autonomy and dignity for people with disabilities cannot remain mere declarations of principle.
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