Last Updated on Monday, 15 July, 2024 at 7:00 pm by Andre Camilleri
The Ministry for Social Policy and Children’s Rights has noted with satisfaction the reduction recorded during 2023 in the rate of Severe Material and Social Deprivation, as well as in the rate of Material and Social Deprivation, which are now among the lowest levels ever recorded.
In a statement, the Ministry said that this is in stark contrast to the same figures from 10 years ago, measured with a less stringent methodology. It said that The latest figures published by NSO show that the rate of Severe Material and Social Deprivation decreased from 4.9% in 2022 to 4.1% in 2023, a reduction of 3,517 people.
The Ministry said that the latest Eurostat report notes that one in ten people in an EU member state cannot afford to eat vegetables, meat, or fish every two days.
The situation in Malta is on par with the average of other EU member states, meaning that Malta has seen improvement in the same statistics from ten years ago in 2013, when 1 in 6 people could not afford such meals.
The report showed how during 2023 (based on the situation in 2022), the number of people in this category in Malta amounted to 9.4%. In 2013 and 2014 (based on the situation in 2012 and 2013), the country had the highest recorded rates, amounting to between 15.3% and 15.5%.
The Ministry said that the recent report showed the lowest rate recorded since 2017, when this measurement came into effect according to revised EU parameters on household income and living conditions.
“In 2013, with a less stringent measurement than today, we had 10.6% in severe material deprivation, or nearly triple today’s rate,” it said.
It continued that even the rate of Material and Social Deprivation fell from 9.6% in 2022 to 9.2% in 2023, being the lowest rate since 2019.
“This reduction in material and social deprivation was mostly recorded among the elderly and workers. In 2013, nearly 20% of the population was in material deprivation, more than double today’s rate,” it said.
Minister for Social Policy Michael Falzon noted the need for further consolidation of the government’s social policy, especially at a time when inflation continued to exert pressure on families, particularly those in the lower-income bracket.
Falzon reiterated that for this reason, in addition to the government continuing to subsidize energy prices, and grains and cereals, a new benefit was introduced towards the end of 2022 intended to help low or middle-income families and individuals better cope with the effects of inflation.
“We will continue to strengthen social benefits, while increasing the thresholds for families and individuals receiving the additional COLA benefit. At the same time, we continued to implement the price stability agreement, which is also helping to reduce the prices of 450 essential food products,” Falzon said.
