Disability in France

[Shane]

Had to go for a medical yesterday  for Incapacity Benefit which I receive for various problems. The conclusion was that I cannot work and that will be reported back to the uk.

I read somewhere that if you are classed as 80% disabled you can obtain here the equivalent to Disability Living Allowance if you are resident and a tax payer. Can anyone shed any light on this and how to claim it.

[Owen]

Hello Carol,

The approximate equivalent is Allocation Aux Handicapés (AAH). You will be avble to obtain further information from your local "Caisse Allocation Familiales". Your degree of disability will be assessed by the "Commission Technique d'Orientation et Reclassement Professionel (COTOREP)".

Regards

Owen

pjowen@expathealthdirect.co.uk

[Benjamin]

Hi Carol

As Owen says there is a French equivalent but it's means tested and you would have to be pretty poor to get it although at the moment I can't remember the threshold. Maybe someone else out there knows?

Benjamin

[BJSLIV]

Here are the rules and as others have said the ceilings are pretty low!

Conditions de ressources

Les ressources prises en compte pour le calcul du droit à l'AAH sont les revenus nets catégoriels du demandeur. Ces revenus ne doivent pas dépasser les plafonds annuels de ressources suivants (applicables au revenus de l'année 2004) : 

• 7 323,36 EUR   pour une personne seule,  

• 14 646,72 EUR  pour une personne vivant en couple (mariée, vivant en concubinage ou liée par un PACS),   

Ce plafond est majoré de 3 661,68 EUR  par enfant à charge.  

Montants en vigueur depuis le 1er janvier 2006. 

A noter : les revenus issus, le cas échéant, d'un contrat d'avenir ou d'un contrat insertion - revenu minimum d'activité (CI-RMA) conclu par l'intéressé en sa qualité de bénéficiaire de l'AAH, ne sont pas pris en compte dans l'évaluation du revenu net catégoriel pour le calcul de l'AAH.  

Abattement d'une partie des revenus d'activité professionnelle

Les revenus provenant d'une activité professionnelle en milieu ordinaire sont en partie exclus du montant des ressources prises en compte pour le calcul de l'allocation, à hauteur de : 

• 40 % lorsque les revenus perçus en 2005 sont inférieurs à 2 283 EUR  ;  

• 30 % lorsque les revenus perçus en 2005 se situent dans une tranche supérieure ou égale à 2 283 EUR  et inférieure à 5 327 EUR  ;  

• 20 % lorsque les revenus perçus en 2005 se situent dans une tranche supérieure ou égale à 5 327 EUR  et inférieure à  8 371 EUR  ;  

• 10 % lorsque les revenus perçus en 2005 se situent dans une tranche supérieure ou égale à 8 371 EUR  et inférieure à 11 415 EUR  .  

[Benjamin]

Just another couple of thoughts Carol.

If you do visit COTOREP take all of your medical records with you especially those relating to the condition which has caused this diagnosis. The decision process by COTOREP takes about five months or so.

If you are then classed as 80% disabled you will receive a blue parking badge and you will also get the additional benefit (?) of an extra half share in your house of income tax allowances.

Benjamin

[Llwyncelyn]

Here just a statement.  We had our income tax prepared this year by an expert comptable and who was given details of my wifes disability (she has suffered for 30 years from Rheumatoid Arthritis) but these details were from the English agencies and not here in France.

For French income tax he included as my wife is disabled a further half share in the house and it made a huge difference.

We have yet to hear from the Impot guys and on this point has everyone received their tax demand?  I thought it was due out in July?

 

[Benjamin]

Llwyncelyn

We included a copy of Mrs Benjamin's French Carte d'Invalidite to back up our claim for the extra half share.

Why not talk to your (French) doctor to see if your wife qualifies as an ALD and then you could get a French Carte.

We haven't yet seen the results of our first tax declaration.

Best of luck.

Benjamin

[Shane]

Thank you to everyone for the advice and information, it was invaluable as always.