In relation to the issue that arose at the end of January 2022 regarding the reduction of the amount of the Low Pensioners' Allowance received by the beneficiaries of the allowance compared to December 2021, the Welfare Allowance Management Service of the Ministry of Social Welfare informs that after examining the data of all beneficiaries of the allowance, it has become apparent that the reductions observed in the allowance are due to the fact that in 2021 a significant increase in basic pensions of 4.58% was granted, while there was no simultaneous adjustment of the allowance since the incomes of 2020 were taken into account. As a result, in January 2022, and given that the allowance scales inversely with the level of income, there were the corresponding adjustments provided for by the current Plan with regard to the allowance provided.
The Ministry of Social Welfare is currently working on various scenarios, with the aim of resolving the issue with a timeframe of March, with particular emphasis on cases where additional support is justified. Any decision taken will have retroactive effect from 1 January 2022.
It is recalled that, as part of the Government's policy to support vulnerable groups of the population, it has been ensured that all beneficiaries of the Low Pensioners' Allowance will have a total income of more than €710 per month for single persons and €1.210 per month for a couple.
(EC)
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