The first payments of the In-Work Benefit and the Carer’s Grant for this year will be paid at the end of this week, said Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights Michael Falzon.
The payment of the first three months of the In-Work Benefit, which covers from January to March, will reach more than 23,262 beneficiaries at a cost of almost €3.5 million for the first quarter of the year, he said.
Of these 23,262 beneficiaries, 1,023 new beneficiaries will receive a letter to provide the Department with an IBAN number so they can be paid.
This payment of the In-Work Benefit will include the increase of €50 per child per year as announced by the Government in Budget 2024.
The Minister said that another payment that will be paid at the end of this week is the Carer’s Grant, which is given to parents who are unable to work because they take care of a child with disability over the age of 16. The child will be entitled to the Increased Assistance for Severe Disability because he is not able to work.
The Permanent Secretary within the Ministry, Mark Musu, explained that initially this benefit started at €300, and now it has risen to almost €5,000 per year, which amounts to half of the minimum net wage.
He added that from January, 2024, in order to reflect the increase in the National Minimum Wage, in addition to the COLA increase, the payment will rise in total to €4,997. This means that those who are eligible will receive €1,249.25 every three months.
From this year, 416 beneficiaries of the Carer’s Grant will benefit from an increase of almost €500 on last year’s amount, he said.
File photo