Reduced utility bills 30,000 families benefit

The "energy benefit" announced in the last budget, aimed at easing the burden of utility bills on eligible families, was launched yesterday by Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina. The new measure will benefit an estimated 30,000 households, up from 13,000 the government used to exempt from the surcharge on water and electricity after the surcharge was first introduced.

The previous scheme used to include families who were already entitled to receive a rebate on the metre charge. The new measure will embrace a larger number of families as criteria for eligibility have been widened. It will include those on social assistance, special unemployment benefit and an old age or a carer's pension, who automatically qualify for the benefit and do not need to apply.

This also applies to those whose family income is lower than Lm3,268.72 and receive children's or a supplementary allowance.

Those in receipt of a pension in respect of a disability and whose family's total annual income is less than Lm3,268.72 have to submit an application together with documentary evidence of income declarations to the Department of Social Security.

Those who provide clear proof that a member of the family, permanently residing in Malta, suffers from a medical condition that requires an above-average use of water and electricity, and whose household's annual income is under Lm13,270, will qualify on humanitarian grounds.

These should write to the director (Social Security) 38, Ordnance Street, Valletta, VLT 1021. The Social Security Department can be contacted on telephone 159.

All beneficiaries will receive their bill in full. The benefit, backdated to January, will be granted through a voucher that will entitle them to a reduction.

The voucher needs to be presented when settling bills and cannot be cashed; nor is it transferable. It remains valid for six months.

The Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Tonio Fenech said the economy had been badly hit by the alarming rise in the cost of oil. So the government had to take responsible and fair decisions.

Besides helping the weakest in society, it also worked to improve the people's awareness on the use of energy and the importance that this was used well.

He said that in five months, the government had received 7,000 applications for subsidies on the purchase of high energy efficient domestic equipment. An average 100 applications a day were being received for this subsidy.

According to a Eurobarometer survey, 68 per cent of the Maltese expressed their concern at climate change and 73 per cent said they believed this was affected by the emissions resulting from the production and use of energy and fuels. The vast majority believed energy use had to be changed in future, with efforts made to waste less and to harness alternative sources, Mr Fenech said.