‘Social assistance beneficiaries should be allowed to travel’ – Michael Farrugia

People who receive social assistance benefits should be allowed to travel abroad without being at risk of losing their benefits, social solidarity minister Michael Farrugia said.

“When the social services department finds out that a social assistance beneficiary has travelled abroad, even to Gozo, that person stands at risk of losing their benefits,” Farrugia said. “I consider this to be unacceptable.

He was speaking at the launch of the national strategy for poverty reduction and for social inclusion.

The strategy, which would act as a foundation for future laws, proposes several measures that target various sectors including employment, literacy, pensions and social benefits.

This strategy for the next ten years would serve as a guideline, which proposes only the minimum measures and is open to further review.  

The strategy proposes the development of a new series of indicators of poverty and of financial aid. The creation of a national minimum pension was also included, like that guaranteed to those born after 1962. A system of payment in arrears was also proposed, allowing those who have not made adequate social security contributions to get a pension.

In the field of family and education, the minister said that literacy, digital literacy and financial literacy would be given more focus and a program, organized in collaboration with local councils, would offer courses in money management. More childcare centres would be made available for working parents and students would benefit from strengthening the stipend system and its relationship with the cost of living.

Gozitan students and students from low-income families would also enjoy extra financial assistance. The elderly will benefit from incentives to return to the workplace and those residing in homes for the elderly will be protected by well-monitored rules to ensure adequate service standards. A quality of life index for the elderly is also proposed.

The strategy also proposes investment in the reintegration of released prisoners as well as enhancing the integration of migrants and asylum seekers.

Harsher penalties would be introduced for those who abuse vulnerable individuals, including children, youths and the elderly, the disabled, the precariously employed, the unemployed and those suffering from mental illness. Domestic abusers would also face harsher punishments.

Yana Mintoff Bland, who coordinated the research that underlies the strategy, said, “Combatting poverty is one of the greatest challenges in today’s world. Over 100,000 people in Malta face poverty and that number increases by 5% every year.

“32% of Maltese children are at risk of poverty, while 45% of children in port areas are at risk.

“We must fight against the stigma that these people face which assumes that those on benefits are scroungers.”