Church organisation Caritas is calling for the minimum wage to increase to €180 per week so that vulnerable families could achieve “a minimum decent” standard of living.

The organisation yesterday published an in-depth study that establishes the minimum budget necessary for three low income household categories to enjoy a decent life.

Caritas director Mgr Victor Grech reiterated an appeal made two years ago for the minimum wage to increase by almost 14 per cent from the current €158 per week.

Mgr Grech insisted money should not be seen as a handicap to improving the situation for society’s poorest.

“Just like the government found millions of euros to invest in various capital projects, with goodwill, the financial means to help the most vulnerable could be found as well.”

The study, A Minimum Budget For A Decent Living, was drawn up by a team of experts and calculations were based on a basket of essential items. Researchers found that the minimum essential budget required for a household of two adults and two children amounted to €10,634 a year.

A single parent household with two children would need a minimum yearly budget of €8,581 and an elderly couple – 65 years and over – would need €6,328.

The study assumed the selected households benefit from a range of social assistance measures such as free medicine under the Pink Card scheme, free food received under the EU food aid scheme, living in a government property at subsidised rent and receiving energy vouchers.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com