An increase in the number of people receiving a pension of 1,188 has driven up government spending on social benefits by 2.6 per cent.

The National Statistics Office said that during the first quarter of 2019, €229.7 million were spent, a €5.9 million increase when compared to 2018.

Contributory benefits went up 3.3 per cent to €182.1 million, due to a €4.3 million rise in retirement pensions, the result of ‘two-thirds pensioners’ now reaching 48,235, along with increases recorded in contributory bonus (€0.9 million) and pensions for widowhood (€0.8 million).

On the other hand, there was a €0.1 million drop in invalidity pensions.

Non-Contributory outlay amounted to €47.7 million, 0.1 per cent higher than 2018, with increases seen for disability pension/allowance (€0.8 million), old age pension (€0.6 million) and in-work benefit (€0.4 million).

Conversely, total social assistance dropped by €1.7 million, with minor drops in supplementary assistance (€ 0.3 million), non-contributory bonus and medical assistance (both €0.1 million).

There was also a drop of 693 claiming sickness benefits.

The largest share of non-contributory recipients was the 39,075 getting a children’s allowance, followed by supplementary assistance (23,078).

The in-work benefit recorded the largest increase in beneficiaries with 618 more recipients but there was a drop reported from the Unemployment Assistance Taper scheme (675).

Source: NSO