MPs approve GMI payments

PARLIAMENT on Thursday approved the retroactive disbursement of Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) benefits to eligible persons.

Retroactive GMI payouts will be made provided applicants meet all the government’s criteria and have furnished authorities the necessary data within a month of being asked. Payouts assisting with rent and interest payments on loans are included.

MPs said authorities have given assurances they will provisionally approve some 8,000 of the 16,000 first-time applicants for the handout, which were not yet fully processed due to delays in processing their forms. This applied chiefly to the long-term unemployed.

Close to 70,000 people have applied for GMI, 16,373 of whom are long-term unemployed Cypriots, over 3,300 are non-Cypriot EU citizens, 719 third-country nationals, 21,000 existing welfare recipients and 28,135 low-income pensioners.

Authorities have examined 2,500 applications out of the 16,373 from the long-term unemployed category and have paid 640 beneficiaries. Earlier this week, MPs heard that another 800 individuals were expected to receive their assistance over the next few days.

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