The Department of Social Security and the Division for Financial Aid and Compliance within the Ministry for the Family, Children's Rights and Social Solidarity make reference to the payment of temporary benefits in connection with Covid-19 .

In the light of the latest developments, the number of new applications has been very low this past week, while those who stopped benefiting from returning to work have continued to increase. This was announced during a news conference addressed by the Minister for the Family, Children’s Rights and Social Solidarity Michael Falzon and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Mark Musu.

It has been announced that new applications are now closed except for those who lose their jobs as a direct cause of Covid-19. These applications are processed directly after they have registered with Jobsplus.

The temporary payment of the Parental Benefit and the Additional Unemployment Benefit for the time being will continue to be made weekly, but will be stopped with effect from Friday, 3 July 2020, which payment will then cover the period from -27 June to 3 July 2020.

The temporary payment of the Disability and Medical Benefit will be suspended with effect from tomorrow, Friday, 5 June 2020, which payment being made today covers the period from 30 May to 5 June 2020.

Of course the Unemployment Contribution Benefit and Unemployment Assistance, which are permanent benefits and aids, will continue to be paid to those eligible on a case-by-case basis.

With the payment process taking place this week, the total sum in benefits has now risen to € 13.2m, including the payment of social security contributions.

Minister Michael Falzon claimed that the temporary benefits associated with Covid-19 were of great help to the thousands of people who in this difficult period needed financial support for one reason or another while helping them to stay. in employment. He said he is now looking forward to these people gradually starting to return to work as he is sure they want.

He said that the approximately 8,400 people who will have been paid these benefits between the beginning of March and the beginning of July will have received a total of around € 17.5m in benefits in just under four months. . Minister Falzon stressed that this money was given to these families when they needed it most, but now it was time that everyone was waiting for us to start moving back to a new normalcy.

Permanent Secretary Mark Musu claimed that the trend of recent weeks has continued even this week, with 711 people now receiving any of the benefits and returning to work, including 234 who they were registering for work and stopped because they found work.

He said Covid's benefits were paid in addition to other benefits these people may have been receiving depending on the case, such as Children Allowance, In-Work Benefit, Supplementary Assistance, Tapering of Benefits or Assistance for Disability. Mr Musu reminded that the period in which these people will have been paid the temporary benefits related to Covid-19 will be covered by the payment of social security contributions, which contributions will have cost around € 1.75 m.