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The Commissioner for the Protection of Children’s Rights, Despo Michaelidou, has condemned delays and the refusal to pay retroactive benefits for children with disabilities applying for Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI).
A report released Monday found that the Social Welfare Benefits Management Service (SWBMS) often requested additional documents after lengthy delays and denied retroactive payments, even when delays were not the families’ fault. Michaelidou said the practice violates principles of good administration, EU law, and the rights of children with disabilities, particularly as retroactive payments help families cover therapies not provided by the public system.
The investigation examined six cases, showing evaluation periods of six to 18 months. Officials argued applications are only complete once all required documents are submitted and that retroactive payments cannot be issued for initially incomplete applications. The Commissioner criticized this interpretation, noting that many requested documents concern parents, not children, and that families should receive retroactive benefits from the date of submission when delays are administrative.
Since January 2024, SWBMS has reduced processing times to 60 days and now immediately notifies applicants of missing documents. The Deputy Minister of Social Welfare has ordered a reassessment of the six cases, with priority given to children with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
Michaelidou stressed that GMI law and administrative procedures must align with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The full report is available at www.childcom.org.cy
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