Nationalist Party Meets With Caritas Malta To Discuss Study

Aug 29 2024

A delegation from the Nationalist Party met with Caritas Malta at the party’s Central House to review a study conducted by Caritas on basic living expenses and the overall cost of living. The study highlights a significant rise in prices and living costs since 2020.

The study examined three types of families: a couple with two children, a single adult with two children, and an elderly couple.

Deputy Leader of the Nationalist Party, Alex Perici Calascione, addressed the growing concern over the widening income gap between high earners and those with much lower incomes in recent years. He underscored the value of such studies and reiterated the Nationalist Party’s plans to tackle the cost of living crisis. Proposed measures include making COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) increases tax-free, developing a new economic model with emerging sectors, and attracting high-quality jobs that offer better wages.

The proposal also suggests providing tax credits to businesses to prevent price hikes due to COLA increases, and setting up a National Fund to support industries involved in importing or exporting to mitigate the impact of living costs.

Caritas detailed that their study’s expenses are based on two scenarios: a basic basket covering food, clothing, healthcare, home maintenance, education, gifts, transportation, and social housing. Transportation costs only include public transport, and air conditioning costs are calculated solely for heating.

The adjusted basket includes costs for a private car, rent, and pet care.

Expenses not covered are those related to physical or mental health conditions, extraordinary needs specific to Gozitans, and special dietary requirements.

The delegation, led by Deputy Leader Alex Perici Calascione, included Shadow Ministers Graham Bencini, Jerome Caruana Cilia, Ivan Castillo, and Claudette Buttigieg.

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Government Takes Note Of Caritas Study

Aug 29 2024

The Ministry for Social Policy and Children’s Rights has acknowledged the report titled “Minimum Essential Budget for a Decent Living,” released today by Caritas, and expressed gratitude, recognizing it as a valuable tool in shaping ongoing social measures.

The report’s findings appear to align with the government’s actions, as noted by the recent 2024 Budget, which introduced several measures to enhance the quality of life for families with children, people with disabilities, and pensioners through increased and new benefits.

According to Caritas’s analysis, a couple where both adults are employed at the national minimum wage and have two children has a net income exceeding the basic cost of living by €5,916. In contrast, if only one partner is working, their net income falls €2,434 short of the basic cost of living.

This underscores the importance of employment in improving income levels, supported by incentives and benefits such as the In-Work Benefit and free Child Care.

The Ministry also considered the recommendations from the report. The Labour Party emphasized that the government already adjusts benefit rates annually according to the price index to assist social beneficiaries. It is crucial to note that the additional cost-of-living benefit will continue annually to help families and pensioners manage inflation, despite its notable reduction.

Furthermore, the Labour Party mentioned that work has been undertaken on other recommendations as part of various government strategies, including those related to Families and Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.

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July 2024 Unemployment Drops to 3.0%

Aug 29 2024

In July 2024, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 3.0 percent, reflecting a slight decrease of 0.1 percentage points from the previous month. This rate remained unchanged compared to July 2023.

The total number of unemployed individuals in July 2024 reached 9,503, with the majority of them aged between 25 and 74. Specifically, the number of unemployed youths (aged 15 to 24) was 2,321, while 7,183 individuals in the 25 to 74 age group were unemployed.

Male unemployment for July 2024 was recorded at 3.4 percent, marking a 0.2 percentage point drop from June. On the other hand, the unemployment rate for females remained steady at 2.4 percent compared to the previous month.

Youth unemployment (ages 15 to 24) saw an increase, reaching 8.7 percent. For individuals aged 25 to 74, the unemployment rate decreased slightly to 2.5 percent, down by 0.1 percentage points from June 2024.

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€10K Fines For Landlords Renting Property To Over 10 People

Aug 29 2024

A new legal notice has introduced fines of up to €10,000 for anyone caught renting property to more than 10 people.

This measure aims to address the issue of overcrowded properties, where foreign workers often pay low rents to sleep in cramped rooms filled with bunk beds.

The legal notice outlines specific limits on the number of occupants allowed based on the size of the apartment.

A one-bedroom apartment can accommodate a maximum of two tenants, while a two-bedroom residence can house up to four people.

A three-bedroom dwelling is limited to six occupants. Larger properties with four or five bedrooms must have two bathrooms, allowing for eight and ten residents, respectively.

These restrictions do not apply to families and will come into effect at the end of October, providing a two-month transition period. Violators of the law face fines ranging from €2,500 to €10,000 and may also face prosecution in court.

The announcement follows Housing Minister Roderick Galdes’ earlier plans for new rental regulations revealed in March. While existing planning rules already cap occupancy at six people per dwelling, they lack enforcement measures.

Overcrowded apartments have been a persistent issue in Malta’s rental market.

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