Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said that as from next year more people will benefit free medicine. He explained that as from next year the increase of the contributory pension will be ignored for the purposes of the means test evaluation for Free Medical Aid, through which these people receive free medication.
This will result in more elderly being able to retain the right to the Pink Card (Karta Roza) and not lose it because pension increases due to revisions.
Additionally as from next January every elderly who has reached the age of 75 and benefiting from the Supplementary Assistance will automatically become eligible for free medications through the Pink Card without the need to meet the means test.
On medical help, Caruana also mentioned that as from next year the income limits for the Sickness Assistance will also be widened.
The limits will be increased by €416 per year in addition to the statutory increases granted annually through the budget. This measure will impact around 800 beneficiaries, he said.
The minister also said that former drug users who manage to successfully complete a rehab programme and find a fixed job will also be able to qualify for two years of accredited social security contributions.
Regarding pensions for persons with disabilities, the budget promises to include an additional sum to compensate for the loss of disability assistance when these individuals retire. Currently, persons with disabilities receive assistance for their disability, including in severe cases, while still being able to maintain employment. However, this assistance stops once they retire. With this new measure, disabled pensioners will see an increase in their pension to reflect the discontinued assistance.
The adjustment will ensure that the pension reaches at least the National Minimum Wage, but the increase will not be less than 10% of the assistance they were entitled to before retiring.
Apart from an increase in assistance for persons with disabilities and for carers that reflects the increases in the minimum wage as promised in previous budgets, a person caring for two family members with high or medium dependency will receive a payment of one and a half times the standard rate to reflect this.
The assistance provided for severe disability will increase by €7.42 per week to €199.61 per week. The assistance for severe disability will increase by €3.49 per week to €128.15 per week, while assistance for disability will also increase by €3.49 per week to €102.62 per week. The additional assistance for carers will increase by €5.24 per week, rising to €179.02 per week, while assistance for carers will also increase by €5.24 per week, reaching €125.92.
The allowance for children with disabilities will also increase by €5 per week, bringing the total to €35 per week. This means the total annual payment will be €1,820.
Caruana also said that the Carers Grant, which is equivalent to half the net National Minimum Wage, will increase. This increase amounts to €8.24, meaning that next year the grant will rise by an additional €193, bringing the total to €5,190 per year.
Starting from 2025, the Carers Grant will also be paid to parents who do not work and have children with disabilities under the age of 16, provided that the condition is considered to be very severe and requires the continuous and constant care of the parent. The medical evaluation necessary will be entirely entrusted to an interprofessional board that will operate based on international criteria for this area.
Moreover the tax credit granted to parents of children with disabilities to help them with the expenses incurred for specialized therapies for their children will also increase from €500 to €750.
The government will also launch a pilot project to provide evening services for persons with severe disabilities who currently lack such support. This initiative aims to enhance the skills and potential of adults with disabilities, offering them better opportunities to engage as active citizens in their communities.
The government is also promising the opening of an Active Ageing Centre in Senglea to complement the various centres recently established, including one in Valletta. Additionally, they will expand the assistance scheme for elderly individuals in need of renting motorized beds.
The grant provided to seniors aged 75 to 79 who live at home or in a residential care facility that they pay for out of pocket will increase by €50, totalling €350. The grant for individuals aged 80 and over will remain at €450. Additionally, the Carer at Home scheme will also increase €500, bringing it up to €8,500 per year.
The government is also committing to allocate nearly €25 million next year for over 50 Public Social Partnerships that it has with various voluntary organizations working in the social sector. This amount does not include other assistance schemes for voluntary organizations. Additionally, a one-stop shop will be opened in the south of Malta, which will serve as the first training, resources, and research center for the volunteering sector.
The government will also reward those businesses that donate to voluntary organizations in the social, environmental, and animal welfare sectors with a tax credit of up to €500.
When it comes to social accommodation the government will continue to invest in this sector and strengthen existing schemes through this budget, including the Rent Benefit, which costs around €10 million per year. To qualify for the rent subsidy benefit, the government will increase the maximum annual income limit by €1,000 across all categories. Additionally, it will allocate €2 million for the installation of new elevators.
The budget also promises first-time buyers that Grant on First Residence (GFR) scheme and the reduction in the Stamp Duty will also be extended. The reduction in Stamp Duty for second-time buyers will also be extended.