One-in-five low income families did not benefit from a special allowance after they failed to uphold their part of the deal, such as sending children to school, figures show.
The supplementary allowance was part of the government’s anti-poverty drive, where parents had to ensure their school-age children attended school and received vaccination.
Statistics out yesterday showed that 3,250 families failed to live up to the conditions. The vast majority concerned children under-16 while the rest were young people who had no job and were not receiving education or training.
Social Policy Minister Michael Farrugia said these figures would be analysed over the coming weeks to see whether there should be changes to the supplement, or the conditions to receive it.
“Unfortunately there are a number of vulnerable people who for some reason refrain from sending their children to school... Through our evaluation we’ll see how we can help people enter the education and labour sectors as this is how we can continue fighting poverty,” Dr Farrugia told this newspaper.
However, 13,319 will this Saturday receive more than €7.5 million in supplementary benefits after adhering to the conditions.
This allowance for families earning less than €10,830 was announced last year, and conditions include the need to attend 95 per cent of the scholastic year and receiving all vaccination according to the National Vaccination Programme.
Meanwhile, families with children aged between 16 and 23 also benefited from this scheme but youths had to be following an academic course, seeking employment or get enrolled in the Youth Guarantee Programme.
These conditions are meant to fight illiteracy and help alleviate some of the burden of those on the brink of poverty.
Families with up to three children will be given €400 for every child, and €200 will be paid out for every other child. There were also 527 families who will be receiving this benefit pro rata as they earn just a bit more than €10,830.
On a separate note, Dr Farrugia said that 16,590 families will be receiving the children’s allowance, amounting to more than €6 million on September 12.