The number of Maltese at risk of poverty rose again last year and the gap between rich and poor has grown, according to a new EU study.
At the same time, the general level of people's disposable income has gone down.
People "at risk of poverty" are those living in a household whose total income is below 60 per cent of the average in the country after adding social benefits.
In Malta in 2010, this figure was 15.5 per cent of the population, about 62,000 people.
This represents an increase of 0.4 per cent (1,600 persons) on 2009 and a substantial 1.4 per cent over five years earlier ( 2005).
The EU average last year stood at 16.4 per cent, a rise of 0.1 per cent.
The report also indicates growing disparities in Malta between rich and poor.
In most EU countries , social benefits have afforded more protection from falls in incomes to those in the lower- income brackets than those in the higher. Malta is among a few other countries , however, where "people on low income have been relatively more affected than the rest of the population".
The richest 10 per cent of the Maltese population have managed to maintain their level of disposable incomes, registering a drop of just 0.6 per cent between 2008 and 2009.
However, the poorest 10 per cent saw their income slide by three per cent during the same period.
According to the Commission's study, in 2010, 31.8 per cent of the Maltese population felt deprived of at least two items in the "economic strain list", a drop of 2.4 per cent over 2009.
This list includes five main items: payments of rent, mortgage, or utility bills; keeping the home adequately warm; facing unexpected expenses; eating meat or protein regularly, and going on holiday for at least one week per year.
The study, published by the European Commission yesterday , examines the social and employment situation across the EU and forms part of the bloc's new economic governance strategy.
Last year , a total of 11 out of the 27 member states saw the level of people at risk of poverty increase over a year earlier.