Updated 5.15pm - Added minister's comments
The average gross household income for 2016 as derived from the European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC), is estimated at €33,202, while the average disposable household income at €27,722.
The National Statistics Office said that according to the survey, the number of persons living in households with an income below the at-risk-of-poverty line (€8,698) was 72,143.
This translated into an at-risk-of-poverty rate of 16.8%, 0.3 percentage points higher than that recorded for the previous year.
In 2017, the severe material deprivation rate among persons living in households was 3.3%. This was 1.1 percentage points less than the same rate estimated on the basis of EU-SILC 2016.
The three most influential variables contributing to this decrease were: ability of households to face unexpected financial expenses; ability of households to avoid being in arrears on mortgage or rent payments, utility bills, hire purchase installments or other loan payments; and the ability of households to spend one week’s annual holiday away from home.
At 19.2%, the at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion rate (AROPE) decreased by 0.9 percentage points when compared to EU-SILC 2016. AROPE provides the share of persons who are either at-risk-of-poverty, or severely materially deprived, or residing in a household with low work intensity (applicable only for persons aged 0-59).
'Malta's lowest-ever rate' - minister
Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon held a press conference to trumpet the NSO figures, saying that Malta now had a record low number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
NSO figures, Mr Falzon said, showed that 3,000 people had been lifted out of the risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2017. Since 2013, he said, 16,368 people had moved out of this poverty danger zone.
The ministry’s permanent secretary, Mark Musu, noted how the share of people lacking at least three out of nine basic necessities had been cut by almost 21 per cent in just one year.
The number of people unable to cope with an unexpected financial expense has also gone down by 20,400, while 11,800 fewer people are behind on their bill or loan payments.