Disability Assistance

Overview

A Disability Assistance may be awarded to a person with a disability who is sixteen (16) years of age and over suffering from either, a total paralysis or a permanent total severe malfunction, or else a permanent total disability through the amputation of one of the upper or lower limb. The Disability Assistance is also awarded to a person who has a hearing and/or speech impairment.

What you’ll get

The Disability Assistance is paid every four (4) weeks in advance.

Please click here for a Schedule of Benefits Rates.

Eligibility

General eligibility criteria:

The applicant needs to be sixteen (16) years and over.
The applicant has been suffering from the disability prior to reaching the age of sixty (60) years.
The applicant:
- is suffering from either total paralysis; or
- is suffering from either permanent total severe malfunction; or
- is suffering from either permanent total disability through the amputation or otherwise of one of the upper or lower limb; or
- is suffering from a hearing impairment; or
- is suffering from a speech impairment.
An applicant can be gainfully occupied since eligibility for Disability Assistance is not Capital Means tested. As from January 2022, the applicant is also not weekly means tested. Thus, both Capital and Weekly Means will not be taken into consideration.
The provisions of Article 90 of the Social Security Act (Cap. 318.) “Duplicate Rights” apply, wherein a beneficiary cannot be in receipt of two pensions; benefits; assistances or allowances concurrently but to the most beneficial pension; benefit; assistance or allowance.
The Inter-Professional Board will decide whether the case falls within the medical parameters for payment of this assistance.
An applicant who was eligible for the Disabled Child Allowance prior to turning sixteen (16) years of age may still be examined by the Inter-Professional board.