Total government expenditure on retirement pensions has almost doubled from €290 million to €550 million since 2003 as a result of an ageing population, according to the National Statistics Office.

Between 2000 and last year the population of those over 65 increased from 48,241to 72,278.

Addressing a conference at the Millennium Chapel in Paceville which focused on poverty among the elderly, NSO director general Michael Pace Ross yesterday said 17.3 per cent of those aged 65 and over are at risk of poverty. This amounts to 11,061 persons and is slightly above the overall average which stands at 15.1 per cent.

According to the NSO there are no significant variances in the risk-of-poverty rate in the 65+age cohort across Malta. The lowest rate is registered in the south eastern region stretching from Marsascala to Qrendi with 15.4 per cent and the highest in Gozo with 21.8 per cent.

On the other hand, when the risk of social inclusion is factored in, it transpires that the rate among people aged 65 years and over increases to 22.3 per cent.

In this case the western region including Rabat, Siġġiewi, Attard and Żebbuġ tops the list with 24.1 per cent, whereas the northern harbour including Qormi, Birkirkara, Sliema and Pembroke, and the south eastern region have the lowest rate with 20.7 per cent.

Overall those mostly at risk are single parent households with one or more dependent children, where almost half of them are at the risk of poverty.

The conference was organised by the Anti-Poverty Forum which is a network of 12 organisations whose aim is to raise awareness on the risk of poverty and social exclusion.