Press Release by the Ministry for Social Justice and Solidarity, the Family and Children’s Rights: the number of persons dependent on social assistance falls to the lowest figure ever registered

The number of persons dependent on social assistance at the end of this July was the lowest figure ever registered. The figure was even lower than the one registered immediately before the pandemic.

In fact, while there were a total of 6,743 persons in receipt of social assistance on the 7th of March 2020 including single parents and those benefitting from unemployment assistance, this figure went down to 6,469 persons on the 31st of July 2021. This shows a reduction of 274 persons. The largest reduction of beneficiaries registered was of social assistance: 163 persons, while the beneficiaries of social assistance decreased to 111 persons.

This information was detailed during a press conference addresses by the Minister for Social Justice and Solidarity, the Family and Children’s Rights Michael Falzon and the Permanent Secretary Mark Musù.

Minister Falzon said that it is important to remember that in 2013 the total number of persons dependent on social assistance was 15,114. These figures are over twice the number of those of today. In fact since 2013 to date, the number has gone down consistently each year excluding a brief period of a few months during the pandemic when there was a small increment, so that  today there are 8,645 persons less who are dependent on social assistant than there were in 2014: a reduction of over 57%.

“This also means that unemployment has gone down by 90% of what it was eight years ago while the global number of persons dependent on social assistance is less than half of what it was in 2013. This continues to encourage us to persevere in the advancement of people’s standard of living”, stated Minister Michael Falzon.

As illustrated by this table, to date since 2013 those persons dependent on social assistance fell from 10,784 to 6,018: a reduction of 4,766 persons (44.2%). The reduction in unemployment assistance shoed an even larger percentage: whereas there were 4,330 beneficiaries in 2013, the figure fell to 451, a reduction of 3,879 beneficiaries or 89.6%

Minister Falzon said the government shall continue in its constant work for Maltese and Gozitan families. He added that currently the final preparations are underway for the presentation of social measures for the next budget, so that everybody shall be given support.