Hi there,
The earliest point at which Swiss social security disability insurance benefits apply is 6 months after the disability insurance claim is filed. The entitlement may begin at a later point. A one-year probation period during reintegration measures are carried out by the social security office applies. In the best case, you will receive your disability pension paid in arrears from the date 6 months after you made your claim.
Laws governing welfare vary between cantons. As a general rule, Swiss welfare offices can claim repayment of welfare subsidies when recipients receive payment of benefits owed by insurance providers and social security offices in arrears. This may hold true even if the person no longer receives welfare at the time that the backlog of insurance benefits is paid out.
The amount which must be paid back to welfare offices is determined by the amount received from the disability insurance office.
Example: A person receives 8000 Swiss francs of welfare subsidies over a 6-month period while they wait for their disability insurance claim to be processed. At the end of the 6-month period, the person begins to receive a disability pension of 1500 Swiss francs per month. They also receive payment of the backlog owed for the previous 6 months, or 9000 Swiss francs. Because they would not have been entitled to receive welfare had they been receiving their disability pension over the 6-month period, the person must repay the 8000 francs which they received in welfare subsidies from the backlog paid out by their disability insurance.
Typically, the social security office will transfer the money owed directly to the welfare office before paying out the backlog. The recipient will receive a breakdown of the settlement from the welfare office and can point out possible inconsistencies.
Best regards from Moneyguru
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