63,000 people will be enjoying 5 more payments that will be given at the end of this week, with another investment of more than €25 million. These payments include the Bonus for those who do not qualify for a contributory pension, the Grant for Senior Citizens, the Additional Benefit for the Cost of Living, and pension adjustments which will begin to be paid for pensioners born before 1962 and even the Widow Pensioners.
These details were given during a news conference by the Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights Michael Falzon and the Permanent Secretary Mark Musù.
It was said that from next Saturday, around 13,000 people will get a bonus because they do not have enough stamps to benefit from a contributory pension, and this will be done with an investment of €7.2 million.
This bonus this year is being increased again by €50 and rises to €500 for those who have paid between 1 and 4 years of social security contributions, and €600 for those who have paid between 5 and 9 years of contributions. Those beneficiaries who reach the age of 75 years, will continue to receive the bonus together with the Grant for Senior Citizens. In total, since the benefit was launched in 2015, almost €41 million has been paid.
It was explained that at the end of this week the Grant for Senior Citizens will also be given, where approximately 40,000 people will benefit from this grant, which will be made with an investment of €14.9 million. This year this grant is being increased again by €50. Those aged between 75 and 79 receive €300 per year and those aged 80 and over are paid €450 per year. Elderly people who still live in their homes or with relatives are eligible for this benefit.
“This is a Government that listens and addresses the social realities of the moment, and that continues to make the social field a priority because it is the catalyst and the foundation of a strong economy. This Government has committed to continue strengthening the most vulnerable, the middle class while continuing to incentivize businesses,” stated Minister Michael Falzon.
Permanent Secretary Mark Musù also explained that the Department of Social Security is already processing those cases of pensioners born before 1962 so that they gradually get the same pension rate of ‘ those persons who were born after 1962. So far €2.5 million have been processed in almost 5,000 pension revisions of those born before 1962.
Meanwhile, from the 9th of February, an additional increase will also be given to 1,650 widowed pensioners as part of the continuation of a process that should lead to finally, in another 3 years, the full pension to which their spouses were entitled to begin to be paid if they were still alive. The increase, which is additional to the €15 they received at the beginning of the year, will vary according to the salaries their spouses had when they went missing.
The Permanent Secretary also mentioned that around 200,000 people took the additional benefit of the COLA, with a global expenditure of €16 million.
