Government confirms retention of income criteria for child benefit

During a session of the House Committee on Labor and Social Insurance held on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, the government formally confirmed that income and asset criteria for child benefits will remain in place for families with three or more children.

The chairman of the committee, AKEL MP George Koukoumas, stated that the administration has rejected key proposals for improvements to its proposed bill. These recommendations were submitted by various stakeholders, including parliamentary parties, organizations representing families with three or more children, single-parent organizations, trade unions, and the Commissioner for Children's Rights. Koukoumas noted that while minor technical adjustments were made, the draft legislation fails to address the needs of modern families and explicitly excludes single-parent households from benefit enhancements, despite prior election commitments made by President Christodoulides.

The committee expressed significant dissatisfaction with the government's stance, arguing that the proposed measures are insufficient. Discussions regarding the legislation are expected to continue as the government moves forward with its current framework despite broad opposition from political and social sectors.