Third of households are finding it difficult to make ends meet

More than a third of Maltese households found it difficult to make ends meet in 2011, while 6.3 per cent were “severely materially deprived”, according to figures published by the National Statistics Office yesterday.

Nearly 18 per cent were unable to keep their homes adequately warm in the winter of 2001

The annual survey on income and living expenses published by the NSO found that over half of Maltese households considered rent, mortgage payments, insurance and gas and electricity to be a “heavy financial burden”, while just eight per cent found it easy to cover these expenses.

The survey tracked expenditure in 144,000 households across several localities and painted a picture of how they coped with the rising costs of living in 2011.

The most common residential complaints were related to pollution, grime and air and water quality, with 41 per cent of households feeling this had a negative effect on their quality of life.

Severe material depravity rose by one percentage point compared to figures published in 2010, marking a continuing trend in Maltese poverty.

An NSO spokesman defined severe material deprivation as “the proportion of people who cannot afford at least four of nine items deemed to be essential.”

These items include mortgage or rent payments, utility bills or hire purchase instalments; a one-week annual holiday away from home; a meal with meat, chicken, fish (or vegetarian equivalent) every second day; unexpected financial expenses; a telephone (including mobile phone); a colour TV set; a washing machine; a car and heating to keep the home adequately warm.

Nearly 18 per cent were unable to keep their homes adequately warm in the winter of 2011, while over a quarter of Maltese families did not have access to a computer.

Poverty trap

In 2011, 119.6 million people, or 24.2 per cent of the EU population, were considered at risk of poverty.

In the same year, nearly 64,000 Maltese earned less than €6,517 a year and were considered to be at risk. Of these, nearly 17,000 (21 per cent) were children and adolescents under 18.

In Malta, single-parent families were found to be the most at risk of poverty, with 47 per cent falling below the NSO’s income threshold.

Average Maltese families had a gross income of under €27,000 with average disposable income – the money left after tax – at under €22,000.