On the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons, the Ministry for Social Policy and Children’s Rights salutes the older generation for their valuable contribution to Maltese society and the country over the years. Their experiences, work and insight have shaped the country and left their mark on society.
The Ministry is proud that over the past few years it has sought to properly compensate for the contribution and work that the elderly have made in their lives with increases in pensions and the implementation of various other beneficial measures and services to continue to improve their quality of life. With what has been done and is still being done, elderly people today have peace of mind and a life in dignity.
The Ministry recalls that thanks to the increases in pensions in recent years and with reforms and improvements to other benefits intended for the elderly, including those for home care, this year elderly people will have received around €1.3 billion, double what they received in 2013, and this is in addition to other payments through the Additional Benefit against the Cost of Living, Supplementary Assistance, and Sickness Allowances.
Today, every pensioner in our country is receiving a pension that is at least €70 per week higher than they had twelve years ago. This is in addition to other measures and aids, such as the removal of anomalies and injustices for pensioners born before 1962 and the abolition of pension tax, among many other measures.
Minister Michael Falzon reiterated that beyond the figures and the reforms that have been made, the greatest achievement is in the respect and gratitude that our elderly enjoy in our society, and that they feel appreciated and loved. He stated that while we are grateful to the elderly for the solid foundations they have built, the Government looks forward to continuing to shape a better future of social protection and inclusion, including with more social measures in the upcoming Budget.
