Over 92,000 Maltese Struggling Below Poverty Line, New Survey Reveals

Malta’s National Statistics Office (NSO) reported that 92,690 individuals were living below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold of €12,258, marking an increase of 0.2 percentage points from the previous year.

The average gross household income in 2023 was €47,893, with disposable income averaging €38,236. Employment income constituted 82.8% of gross income, while social benefits, including pensions, accounted for 13.9%.

Material and Social Deprivation (MSD) and Severe Material and Social Deprivation (SMSD) rates stood at 9.0% and 4.0%, respectively, both showing slight decreases from 2023.

The AROPE rate, which includes those at risk of poverty, severely deprived, or living in very low work intensity households, was 19.7%, slightly down from the previous year.

The Gini coefficient fell by 2.2 percentage points to 30.8%, indicating improved income distribution.

The ARP rate for males was 15.6%, while for females it was 18.3%.

Children under 18 had the highest poverty rate at 24.1%, and adults aged 65 and over had a rate of 29.7%. Adults aged 18–64 saw a slight decline to 11.9%.

Single-parent households were most affected, with 43.8% falling below the poverty line. Households without dependent children had a lower ARP rate of 15.9% compared to 18.1% for those with children. Older individuals living alone or in two-adult households without children were also more vulnerable.

In households with very low work intensity, 69.4% were at risk of poverty, compared to just 6.5% in those with very high work intensity.

#MaltaDaily