Increased benefits for people with disabilities, the removal of income criteria for those with severe disabilities, and a new framework of support for young people after they complete special education are among the measures included in the government's new policy under the Law on Social Participation, Inclusion and Independent Living for Persons with Disabilities, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Thursday.
Speaking to journalists during his regular briefing at the Presidential Palace, Letymbiotis said the reform began taking effect in July, and with the completion of the latest round of payments on Friday, 28 August, a significant social reform is moving from legislation into practice and is already becoming visible in the daily lives of thousands of citizens. He said an additional €106 million has been secured for the policy's implementation over the 2026 to 2028 period, with benefits rising across the board.
Higher monthly payments
For a child with a disability up to the age of 18, Letymbiotis said the disability benefit is rising from €848 to €935 a month, an increase of €87. For people aged 18 and over, the benefit is rising from €368 to €405 a month, an increase of €37. Approved home care payments are also rising by 10%. Benefits for blind people and those with severe mobility disabilities, paraplegia or quadriplegia are likewise rising by 10%, with monthly increases ranging from €37.60 to €110.
Increases paid automatically
Letymbiotis said the Mobility Allowance rose in July from €75 to €100, and from €150 to €200, an increase of 33%, while the pool of eligible recipients is also being widened. He said 629 quadriplegic people over the age of 65, who had not previously received the Mobility Allowance, are now included among beneficiaries and will receive €200 a month, with retroactive effect from 1 July 2026.
"These increases will be paid automatically. Existing beneficiaries do not need to submit a new application, fill out forms or follow any new procedure," he said.
He added that the increases are not simply "from now on," noting that retroactive amounts are due from the start of the year. Part of these retroactive payments has already been made, he said, with the remainder to be paid within the final quarter of the year.
Benefits delinked from family income
Letymbiotis stressed that the change is not limited to the amounts involved. "Until now, in many cases, support for a person with a disability was also linked to family income. Under the new policy, disability benefits are beginning to be delinked from income criteria for people with severe disabilities," he said. He explained the rationale behind the change is that disability itself creates additional needs and costs, regardless of family income.
He said the first phase covers around 15,000 current beneficiaries, with a further roughly 5,000 people expected to be phased in gradually over the next three years.
New programmes after special education
The new policy also seeks to address the gap that has existed after the age of 22, when pupils complete their studies in special education.
Letymbiotis said an organised pathway for life after 22 is being created for the first time, offering three main options: post-secondary vocational education and training, supported employment in the open labour market, and creative activity and quality care where needed.
"The philosophy of this policy is not for the state to decide for the young person, but to give them real and equal choices," Letymbiotis said. He added that from the 2026-2027 academic year, a new inclusion and vocational empowerment programme will be introduced at post-secondary vocational education and training institutes, while supported employment programmes are being strengthened and creative activity and care options upgraded.
He said the new disability policy has two clear aims, encompassing greater financial support, choice and security for families, alongside autonomy and opportunity. "And this is the footprint we want a social policy to have: greater security, more autonomy for the individual, and more opportunities for a life of dignity and prospects," Letymbiotis concluded.
Source: CNA.
