Around 95,000 families, made up of 194,000 people will receive the first of two payments of Additional Cost of Living Benefit due at the end of this week.

The Government said that the payment, which covers from January 1 to the end of June 2024, in total reaches €14.7 million, while the second payment, which covers the second half of the year 2024, will be paid in May.

More than half (53%) of those beneficiaries of this payment are not at risk of poverty or social exclusion, the Government said.

These details were announced by the Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights.

It was explained how this payment is based on an additional compensation mechanism for the cost of living adjusted according to the income of the families and the number of members in their family living in the same residence.

Minister Michael Falzon stated that this benefit will be between €100 and €1,500 per year, which rates vary according to income and family members, and he said that in total this aid against the cost of living expected to exceed €30 million next year.

Of those who are receiving the payment due at the end of this week, 37,748 are single people, 17,881 couples and 36,735 families with children.

File photo: Gozo News/Alain Salvary

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