Around 30,000 households are expected to make use of the recently introduced energy benefit scheme that will help lighten the effect of higher oil prices on water and electricity bills, said Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina yesterday.

A leaflet, that is simple and easy to understand, clearly explaining the conditions under which families can qualify for the benefit is available and will be distributed in various centres, she said.

The acting information management officer within the ministry, Alan Grima, explained that the benefit will be paid through a voucher that will be sent to the beneficiaries.

“The voucher needs to be presented when the water and electricity bills are paid. It cannot be cashed and is not transferable,” he added.

Furthermore, said Mr Grima, the voucher – which is valid for six months – is linked to a specific account number and cannot be used elsewhere.

Families who already receive social assistance, special unemployment benefit, age pension or carer’s pension automatically qualify for the energy benefit, he said.

Minister Cristina explained that families could also fall under the scheme if a member of the family suffered from a medical condition that required an above-average use of water and electricity and the household’s income was less than Lm13,270 a year.

Those who wished to receive this benefit have to send a letter addressed to the Director of Social Security. The new beneficiaries who would be included would receive the arrears from 1 January, she said.

Applications can be collected from the 22 district offices of the social security departments around Malta and Gozo.

Mrs Cristina pointed out that if people had any queries they should go to the social security district offices. “The staff are trained and will be able to help the public with any queries they have,” she said.

All families who fall under the scheme should receive a letter by the end of this week informing them that they are included in the energy benefit, added Mrs Cristina.

Tonio Fenech, parliamentary secretary in the Finance Ministry explained that Malta was affected by the international price of oil, which had gone up.

He pointed out that the water and electricity surcharge is only 45 per cent because half of it is already subsided by the government.

“Last year, Lm50 million from the surcharge was spent on oil while the government paid for another Lm50 million,” said Mr Fenech.

However, he said, this burden also has to be shouldered by the Maltese people who have to become more conscious and responsible about energy consumption.

He quoted statistics from a recent Eurobarometer study and said that the Maltese registered the third highest concern among EU countries about climate change, with 68 per cent of the respondents saying they were worried. Another 55 per cent said that the government had to subsidise energy saving devices, he added.

Mr Fenech said that around 7,000 families applied for the energy saving scheme for appliances that was recently introduced by the government.

“People are ready to pay for appliances which are more expensive because they are energy saving. At least 38 per cent of the Maltese said that they ask about the energy consumption before buying a product,” said Mr Fenech.

Mrs Cristina explained that the household income was the benchmark of the energy benefit.

“All households that have an income lower than Lm3,268.72 a year qualify for the benefit,” she said.

However, she added, beneficiaries were exempted from the surcharge only if they did not exceed the average consumption rate established by the National Statistics Office (NSO).

“Families making use of this benefit cannot exceed this amount and if they do, they will not be exempted from the surcharge. This measure should reduce abuse and is an energy saving measure,” she explained.

For more information visit the ministry’s website www.mfss.gov.mt or call the SPIC helpline 159 between Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8pm.