€250 supplement for every family entitled to In-Work Benefit begins being paid

Families who are entitled to the In-Work Benefit this week began receiving the first €250 supplement, a government statement read.

The introduction of this supplement was part of the aid introduced for three categories of parents who work and are entitled for the In-Work Benefit that was announced in a packet of measures for the regeneration of the economy in June.

Those families who are eligible for the benefit from now till the end of the year will also be entitled for the full €250 supplement. Aside from this, parents who will be receiving the benefit and lost their job during the Covid-19 pandemic will continue to receive the In-Work Benefit as long as their circumstances don’t change. In the case that they find work, the rate will be adjusted according to the new income.

The changes to the In-Work Benefit also include the improvement in the rate beneficiary families were paid for every child under the age of 23, as well as the widening of thresholds for more families to qualify.

The rate paid to families where both parents work and have an income from work between €10,000 to €26,000 increased by between €30 and €100 for each child, with the highest rate rising to €1,400 per eligible child.

In the case of families with a single working parent, who works and earns between €6,600 and €18,200, the increase is of €50 per child. The highest rate reaches €1,400 per child.

The paid rate for families where one parent works and the work income varies between   €6,600 u €22,000, the increase is of €80 for each child, and the highest rate is now €630 per child.

In the case of married couples, both the rate paid to the couples that both work is higher than the rate where one doesn’t work, the statement read. “This, so that in the case of the latter, the second parent would also have an incentive to enter the world of work, even on a part-time basis.”

The new rates came into effect from 6 June and will be backpaid in the next payment in October, for payments that normally incorporate the period between July to September.

Family Minister Michael Falzon said that the quality of life for the Maltese and Gozitan’s is an absolute priority for the government.