The families are among those who have benefited the most and will continue to benefit from various measures that are aimed at enhancing the standard of living. Measures that have always seen the family as a priority and that are supportive.
This was the gist of the message in a news conference addressed by the Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights Michael Falzon and during which he listed measures such as the children’s allowance and the birth bonus and adoption that will continue to be strengthened from next year.
Minister Michael Falzon reiterated that this Government will continue to invest in children while it will continue to build on the legacy of Governments that gave aid, where more than fifty years ago they introduced the Children’s Allowance and the Minimum Wage among others. “We believe that everyone should benefit from this allowance, regardless of the income of the parents or those who have childcare. We remember a time under a previous Administration where not every family benefited from a full children’s allowance, because they linked this benefit to the income of the parents and not to the children. We have changed this since five years ago and we will continue to strengthen it”, claimed Minister Falzon.
Minister Michael Falzon explained how from next year this Government will increase this allowance by €250 per child. This is the biggest increase that has ever been given in the fifty years that this benefit has been in existence and will affect more than 41,000 families with 62,000 children. They will benefit from support of €15.5 million. Apart from the children’s allowance, it was explained that another increase will be given in the bonus for birth and adoption. For the second time this bonus will be increased from €400 to €500 for the first child and from €400 to €1,000 for the second new child or more in the family. This measure is expected to affect around 3,200 families.
Minister Michael Falzon also spoke about the extension to parenting credits so that parents who first built a family and then entered the world of work, are also entitled to these parenting credits because until today they are not. Meanwhile during the same news conference, information was given about other measures that continued to make a difference in the lives of families, the main ones being the guarantee for children and young people, the strengthening of the in-work benefit and the fostering allowance.
