Subsidy schemes for holiday and leave for workers and pensioners

The Cabinet of Ministers approved proposals from the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance aimed at supporting mountain areas, pensioners, and workers. The announcement came from the Minister of Labour, Yannis Panayiotou, following a Cabinet meeting.

Two new schemes have been introduced:

1. Holiday Subsidy Scheme for Low-Income Pensioners: This scheme will cover full board accommodation for low-income pensioners at hotels in mountain resorts and the Tower of Tillaria. The scheme will run from June 4, 2024, to July 29, 2024, and from September 3, 2024, to October 28, 2024.
2. Employees' Leave Grant Scheme: This scheme will provide full board and lodging for employees entitled to leave from the Central Leave Fund. It will be available from July 14, 2024, to September 27, 2024, at mountain resorts and the Tyllyria Tower.

These efforts are expected to benefit over 10,000 individuals, including approximately 3,800 workers and 6,300 pensioners.

Details of the Holiday Subsidy Scheme for Low-Income Pensioners

• Duration: June 4, 2024, to July 29, 2024, and September 3, 2024, to October 28, 2024, or until the budget is exhausted.
• Coverage: 4-day stay (3 nights) with full board, from Friday to Monday and Tuesday to Friday.

Eligibility:

• Beneficiaries of the Low Income Pensioner Assistance Plan.
• Low-income pensioners receiving the Minimum Guaranteed Income.
• Pensioners with an annual income up to €15,500 for singles.
• Pensioners with an annual income up to €20,000 for families and their dependents.
• Participants: 6,266 eligible individuals.
• Budget: €950,000.

Details of the Employees' Leave Grant Scheme

• Duration: July 14, 2024, to September 27, 2024.
• Coverage: 6-day stay (5 nights) with full board, from Sunday to Friday.

Eligibility:

• Employees entitled to holiday pay from the Central Leave Fund for the year 2023.
• Employees who did not participate in the scheme in 2023, including their spouses.
• Participants: More than 3,800 eligible individuals.
• Budget: €900,000.

The goal of these efforts, according to Minister Panayiotou, is to promote mountain resorts while offering low-income workers and pensioners high-quality services. These resorts are essential to the economy because they provide jobs in non-urban regions, boost winter tourism in Cyprus, and lengthen the tourist season, all of which help local communities.

After the implementation details are finalised, recipients will get information regarding the application procedures from the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance.