House rules for widowers’ pensions

The House plenum passed an amendment on Friday allowing men to receive a widowers’ pension irrespective of when their spouse died.

Prior to the amendment, men who lost their wives could only be eligible for their pension if their wife died on or after January 1, 2018.

The amendment, jointly put forth between Akel and the Green Party was passed with 27 votes in favour and 15 against.

According to a report of the House labour committee, the equal treatment between male and female widowers will cost the social insurance an extra €3.9 million this year, €7.2m in 2019, €10.5m in 2020 and €13.4m in 2021.

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