People who are in receipt of social benefits that they are not entitled to, will be given up to February to regularise their position, after which they will be heavily fined once they are found out.

Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said in the Budget speech that the scheme would apply in cases where, for instance, a beneficiary did not inform the department of a change in his status, or an increase in his income.

The scheme will not apply for systematic benefit fraud.

PRECARIOUS WORK – EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK
Prof Scicluna said that in an initiative against precarious work, the government would next year lay down the principle that contracted workers working for the government had to be paid at least the equivalent of the lowest grade of the equivalent scale for that work in the civil service.

More stories on the Budget at http://www.timesofmalta.com/budget