First law: 1956.
Current law: 1980 (social insurance), 1995 (social old-age pension).
Type of program: Dual social insurance and non-contributory social old-age pension system.
Exchange rate: U.S.$1.00 equals 0.50 pound (£).
Employed and self-employed persons aged 16-64.
Voluntary coverage for formerly covered persons and for Cypriots working abroad for Cypriot employers.
Social old-age pension: Persons aged 68 who are not entitled to a pension or similar payment from any source.
Insured person: 6.3% of earnings (self-employed, 11.6% of earnings; voluntarily covered, 10% of earnings).
Employer: 6.3% of payroll.
Social old-age pension: None.
Government: 4% of earnings.
Social old-age pension: Total cost.
Above contributions also finance cash sickness, maternity, work-injury, and unemployment benefits.
Maximum earnings for contribution purposes: £364 a week.
Old-age pension: Age 65. Age 63 if weekly average of real and credited earnings is at least equal to 70% of weekly basic earnings.
(Basic earnings level is about 47.1% of national average wage.
Contribution conditions: contributions paid for at least 3 years and earnings in lower band (covered earnings up to basic earnings level)
are 156 times weekly basic earnings, and weekly average earnings (paid and credited) since 1964 or age 16 are 25% of basic earnings.
Widow may substitute husband's coverage record for her own for period prior to his death.
Lump sum payable at age 68 to persons who do not meet contribution conditions; persons who satisfy first but not second condition receive lump sum of 15% of total covered earnings.
Retirement necessary for miners aged 60-64.
Social pension: Age 68 and 20 years residence after age 40, or 35 years after age 18.
Disability pension: Permanent incapacity for work.
Contribution conditions: same as for old-age, plus paid or credited contributions in previous year must correspond to at least 20 times weekly basic earnings. (Alternatively, average of 20 times basic earnings in last 2 years.)
If disability is caused by accident, same qualifying conditions as for cash sickness benefits below.
Survivor pension: Contribution conditions: same as for old-age.
(Lump sum paid if qualifying conditions are not met.) If death is caused by accident, same qualifying conditions as for cash sickness benefits below.
For full orphans, 1 week of contributions paid by either parent. All pensions payable abroad.
Old-age pension: Basic pension equal to 60% of average basic credited earnings plus supplementary pension equal to 1.5% of average credited earnings above the basic for each year of contribution.
Dependents' supplements: 20% of average basic credited earnings for 1st dependent, 10% each for 2nd and 3rd dependents.
Schedule of payments: Pensions paid 13 times a year.
Lump-sum payment: 15% of total credited earnings.
Social pension: £101.98 per month.
Adjustment: Past earnings are adjusted once a year according to changes in wages. Pensions in payment are adjusted in January and July each year.(In January, basic part according to wages and supplementary part according to prices and in July, basic part and supplementary part according to prices).
Disability pension: Basic pension: Same as basic old-age pension, including dependents' supplements.
Supplementary pension: For each year of contribution, the total of weekly average credited earnings projected to age 63 on the basis of average earnings during the 5 years preceding disability, multiplied by 1.5%.
Schedule of payments: Pensions paid 13 times a year.
Medical services provided in government hospitals and dispensaries.
Adjustment: Same as old-age pension.
Survivor pension: Same as basic old-age pension, plus 60% of supplementary old-age pension. Payable to widow or to dependent disabled widower.
Lump-sum payment: Equal to 1 year's pension, payable upon remarriage.
Orphans: £24.28 a week, plus 30% of supplementary old-age pension (60% divided equally among 2 or more orphans) to each full orphan under age 15 (23 if female, 25 for males if student or in military service, no limit if disabled).
Lump sum equal to 1 year's orphan pension payable on termination of pension due to age.
Half-orphan: £12.14 a week for first orphan, £6.07 per week for 2nd and 3rd. Schedule of payments: Pension paid 13 times a year.
Missing person's benefit: Same as basic old-age pension, including dependents' supplements for spouse or £4.28 a week for each full orphan.
Funeral grant: £249 upon death of insured or pensioner, £124.50 upon death of dependent.
Adjustment: Same as for old-age pension.
Ministry of Labor and Social Insurance, through Department of Social Insurance, administration of program.
Program directed by Director of Social Insurance in Ministry and tripartite advisory Social Insurance Board
First law: 1956.
Current law: 1980.
Type of program: Dual social insurance for cash benefits and national health service for medical care.
Cash benefits: Employed and self-employed persons aged 16-63.
Voluntary coverage for Cypriots aged 16-63 working abroad for Cypriot employers. Persons between 64-65 are covered only if they are not entitled to old-age pension.
Medical care: All residents of limited means, public employees, police, and members of the Armed Forces.
Insured person: See pension contributions above.
Employer: Same.
Government: Same. Also, whole cost of medical care.
Sickness benefits: 26 weeks of paid contributions and 20 contributions paid or credited in last year. After entitlement is exhausted, person can requalify upon payment of 26 contributions.
Maternity benefits: 26 weeks of paid contributions and 20 contributions paid or credited in last year.
Cash maternity grant: 26 weeks of paid contributions, and 20 contributions paid or credited in last year.
Medical benefits: All residents of limited means, public employees, police, and members of the Armed Forces.
Cash sickness benefit: 60% of basic credited average earnings in last year, plus supplement of 50% of average earnings above basic amount in last year, up to maximum of 2 times basic earnings.
Dependents' supplements: Same as for old-age pension.
Maximum cash benefit and supplements: £121.40 a week.
Payable after 3-day waiting period (18 days for self-employed) for up to 52 weeks (minimum, 26 weeks).
Cash maternity benefit: 75% of average credited earnings during the last year. Payable for 16 weeks beginning between the 6th and 2nd week before confinement. Payable for 14 weeks to stepmothers for adopted children if the adoption takes place during the first 5 years from the child's birth.
Maternity grant: £185. (Payable also to non-working wife of insured.)
Medical benefits: Medical services provided directly to patients in government hospitals and dispensaries. Includes medical treatment, hospitalization, maternity care, and medicines.
Medical benefits for dependents: Same as for insured person.
Ministry of Labor and Social Insurance, through Department of Social Insurance, administration of cash benefits.
Program directed by Director of Social Insurance in Ministry and tripartite advisory Social Insurance Board.
Ministry of Health, provision of medical services through government hospitals.
First law: 1942.
Current law: 1980.
Type of program: Social insurance system.
Employed persons.
Insured person: See pension contributions above.
Employer: Same.
Government: Same.
Work-injury benefits: No minimum qualifying period.
Temporary disability benefit: £35.42 a week, plus £12.14 for 1st dependent, £6.07 each for 2nd and 3rd dependents.
Minimum benefit and supplements: £60.70 a week.
Supplement: 50% of average earnings above basic in last year, up to a maximum of two times basic earnings.
Maximum benefit and supplements: £121.40 a week.
Payable after 3-day waiting period for up to 12 months.
Permanent disability pension: £36.42 a week. Supplementary permanent disability pension: 60% of average earnings above basic earnings in last 2 years.
Dependents' supplements: £12.14 a week for 1st dependent, £6.07 each for 2nd and 3rd dependents.
Adjustment of earnings and pensions: Same as for old-age pension.
Constant-attendance supplement: £19.81 a week.
Partial disability: Percent of full pension proportionate to degree of incapacity (20%-99% disablement) or lump sum (10%-19%).
Medical benefits: Necessary medical treatment and hospitalization in government dispensaries and hospitals.
Survivor pension: Same as basic permanent disability pension, plus 60% of supplementary permanent disability pension. Payable to widow or to dependent disabled widower.
Lump-sum payment: Equal to 1 year's pension, payable upon remarriage.
Orphans: £24.28 a week, plus 30% of supplementary permanent disability pension (60% divided equally among 2 or more orphans)
to each full orphan under age 15 (23 if female, 25 for males if student or in military service, no limit if disabled).
Lump sum equal to 1 year's orphan pension payable on termination of pension due to age. Half-orphans: £12.14 for 1st orphan and
£6.07 per week for 2nd and 3rd orphans. Dependent parent (if no spouse or child): £24.28 a week plus 30% of supplementary permanent disability pension.
Funeral grant: £249.
Ministry of Labor and Social Insurance, through Department of Social Insurance, administration of contributions and cash benefits.
Program directed by Director of Social Insurance in Ministry and tripartite advisory Social Insurance Board.
First law: 1956.
Current law: 1980.
Type of program: Social insurance system.
Employed persons aged 16-63 (including voluntarily insured persons who work for Cypriot employers abroad). Employed persons between 64-65 are covered only if they are not entitled to old-age pension.
Insured person: See pension contributions above.
Employer: Same.
Government: Same.
(6% of contributions paid by insured person, employer, and government are transferred to Unemployment Benefit Account to finance unemployment benefit.)
Unemployment benefits: 26 weeks of paid contributions and 20 contributions paid or credited in last year. After entitlement is exhausted, requalification upon payment of 26 weeks of contribution. Capable of and available for work; weekly reporting at employment exchange. If unemployment is due to voluntary leaving, misconduct, direct participation in trade dispute, refusal of suitable offer, or failure to avail self of job opportunity, disqualification for up to 6 weeks.
Unemployment benefit: Same as cash sickness benefit, including supplements. Payable after 3-day waiting period (30 for voluntarily insured) for 26 weeks .
Ministry of Labor and Social Insurance, through Department of Social Insurance, administration of program.
Program directed by Director of Social Insurance in Ministry and tripartite advisory Social Insurance Board.
First law: 1987.
Type of program: Universal system.
All residents with 4 or more children.
Insured person: None.
Employer: None.
Government: Whole cost.
Family allowances: Residence in country.
Family allowances: Family must include 4 or more dependent children. A child is dependent if: under 15; between 15-18 and unmarried; 18-25 and in military service; 18-25 if male and attending full-time education; 18-23 if female and attending full-time education; and disabled irrespective of age.
Family allowances: £26.18 per month for each dependent child.
Adjustment: Benefits are adjusted in January each year according to changes in the cost of living index.
Ministry of Labor and Social Insurance, through Department of Social Insurance, administration of program.
Program directed by Director of Social Insurance in Ministry and tripartite advisory Social Insurance Board.