The Department of Social Security commemorated the 66th anniversary of its establishment, a celebration of benefits and social measures that over the years have continued to support Maltese and Gozitan families.
At a news conference, Minister Michael Falzon said that this event marks 3 major achievements which include the fact that Labor Governments have always believed in solidarity and social justice. Evidence of this is the continued increases in pensions, children’s allowance, in-work benefit, and supplementary assistance among others.
Another milestone achieved this week is the international recognition received by the Department of Social Security when it was awarded an award for its efficient work during the pandemic.
Minister Michael Falzon said that the responsibility on this Department is a big one, due to the increasing number of beneficiaries as well as the announced increases in the amount of benefits. In fact, overall expenditure on social benefits in the first 3 months of 2022 reached € 322 million, which, when compared to expenditure in the same period in 2014, shows that expenditure increased by around € 115.5 million (56%), an expenditure that is more than double what we had in 2014 (calculated on the previous year).Looking at the investment in contributory benefits, it can be seen that it has grown by around € 123 million to € 271.6 million, while expenditure on non-contributory benefits has risen to just over € 50 million.
Minister Michael Falzon said that the biggest expenditure in the first quarter of the year was on contributory pensions and on non-contributory pensions, old age. In total it rose to more than € 249 million, compared to an increase of € 111 million (80%) in the same period in 2014.
