A fifth of the Maltese population was at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2010, the National Statistics Office said.

It said that statistics on income and living conditions revealed a monetary 'at-risk-of-poverty' rate of 15.5 per cent and an 'at-risk-of-poverty' or social exclusion' rate of 20.6 per cent.

Households reported an average gross income of €25,968 and an average disposable income of €21,847. Both types of income edged down by around one per cent when compared to the previous year.

The at-risk-of-poverty threshold for 2010 stood at €6,260. Of the surveyed individuals, 63,474, or 15.5 per cent, fell below this threshold and were considered to be at risk of poverty.

Compared to 2009, the at risk of poverty rate edged up by 0.2 percentage points.

In spite of the trend emerging over the past few years, this indicator for Malta remained lower than the EU average.

Analysis by age group shows that persons aged below 18 and those aged 65 and over were at a greater risk of being poor, with respective rates of 20 per cent and 19 per cent.

On the other hand, the at risk of poverty rate for the 18-64 bracket was estimated at 13 per cent.

Persons living in households with dependent children tended to be at a higher risk than those living in households without - 18 per cent and 13 per cent respectively.

At 56 per cent, people living in single-parent households registered the highest at risk of poverty rate. The at risk of poverty rate for those living in households with a work intensity of zero stood at 36 per cent for households without dependent children and 71 per cent for households with dependent children. A negligible at-risk-of-poverty rate was registered among those living in households with full work intensity.

The at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion rate stood at 20.6 per cent, nearly three per cent lower than the EU average.

A trend similar to the monetary at-risk-of-poverty rate emerged, where the younger age groups tended to be more vulnerable than their older counterparts.