1.3 Social Protection
This section provides salient statistics on the regional demographic structure of MALTA. The first sub-section comprises demographic aspects related to population size and structure, births, deaths and marriages while the second sub-section considers the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of households. The final section provides a regional analysis of social protection beneficiaries for a selection of benefits.
Last Updated: 04 March 2026
Salient Points
Selected Social benefits: 2024
… two-thirds pension had the highest number of beneficiaries from the selection of social benefits in both regions during the years under consideration.
… in the Malta region, the expenditure per capita on the selected benefits was highest in the localities of Santa Luċija, Il-Birgu, L-Isla, Valletta and Floriana where the expenditure per capita was greater than €2,000 in each of the localities. In contrast, the expenditure per capita was less than €1,000 in the localities of San Pawl Il-Baħar, L-Imsida, Is-Swieqi, San Ġiljan, and Il-Gżira.
… in the region of Gozo and Comino, the expenditure per capita on the selected benefits was highest in San Lawrenz, Ir-Rabat, Il-Fontana, Kercem, In-Nadur and Ix-Xewkija, with expenditure per capita exceeding €1,500. On the other hand, Iż-Żebbug and Il-Munxar registered the least expenditure per capita of less than €1,000.
Charts
European Statistical Monitor
Tourism and Transport Analytics Dashboard
Ready
1.3.1. Social protection beneficiaries by type of benefit and region (NUTS 3)
Reference Year: 2024
—
—
1.3.2. Percentage distribution of selected social protection benefits expenditure in
the regions of Malta and Gozo and Comino (NUTS 3)
—
—
Maps
Methodological Notes
1. Table 1.3.1 provides a selection of benefits.
2. Definitions:
Two-thirds pension: pension related to earnings, payable to persons who retired after January 1979. This scheme provides for a pension equivalent to two-thirds of the insured person’s pensionable income. Maximum and minimum rates apply.
Retirement pension: payable on reaching pension age. The rates and types of categories vary according to various statutory conditions.
Invalidity pension: payable to persons deemed permanently incapable of suitable full-time or regular part-time employment. Rates vary according to different conditions.
National minimum widows’ pension: payable to widows, irrespective of age, who are not gainfully occupied, who are occupied but earning less than the national minimum wage and are in receipt of a service pension, or who are carrying out gainful activities but have the care and custody of children under 16 years of age. Rates may vary according to conditions outlined in the Social Security Act. Reference to ‘widow’ includes ‘widower’.
Injury benefit: This benefit is payable for injury at work or contraction of industrial disease. Maximum entitlement is limited to 12 months.
Marriage grant: a one-time payment payable on marriage to persons normally resident in Malta. To be eligible a person must be employed, self-employed or self-occupied for at least six months at any time prior to his/her marriage.
Maternity benefit: payable to local residing pregnant citizens of Malta in respect of the last eight weeks of pregnancy and the first six weeks after childbirth. This benefit is only payable if the female is not entitled to maternity leave from her employer, if employed.
Sickness benefit: comprises an entitlement of 156 days but may be extended to 312 days in certain cases. The first three days of each new claim for this benefit are not reimbursed.
Unemployment benefit: payable to unemployed persons for a period of 156 days. This benefit is considered as a short-term benefit. Subsequently, unemployed persons may qualify for long-term benefits under the ‘Social Assistance’ category.
Children’s allowance: payable to married couples, cohabiting couples, civil union couples, single parents, separated parents or returned migrants who have the care and custody of chidren under the age of 16 and whose annual household income is below the threshold as established in the Social Security Act (Cap. 318).
Children’s allowance flat rate: payable to married couples, cohabiting couples, civil union couples, single parents, separated parents or returned migrants who have the care and custody of children under the age of 16 and whose annual household income exceeds the threshold as established in the Social Security Act (Cap. 318).
Sickness assistance: entitlement is subject to the satisfaction of the Director of Social Security that the claimant or a member of his/her household is suffering from a disease that can only be cured or alleviated by a special diet/regimen that incurs exceptional expenditure.
Social assistance: payable to heads of households who are legally/de facto separated and cannot register for employment in order to care for their own minor children. This benefit is also payable to single or widowed males/females who lack financial resources and who are caring for an elderly or handicapped relative on a full-time basis. Social Assistance also includes payments made to persons who satisfy the Director of Social Security that, due to medical reasons, are no longer capable of registering for employment and do not have sufficient means to support their family.
Social assistance for single unmarried parents: payable to a single parent whose income falls below a certain level. The person’s earned income together with the Social Assistance entitlement for two persons should not exceed the National Minimum Wage.
Unemployment assistance: heads of household who are registering under Part 1 of the Unemployment Register may be entitled to unemployment assistance after the period covered by the unemployment benefit has elapsed.
Supplementary allowance: payable to households whose total income falls below the level established by the Social Security Act.
