Over 150 individuals will no longer receive severe disability benefits this year, according to information tabled in parliament.
In 2023, 3,712 people were receiving a severe disability allowance. That same year, Times of Malta revealed former Labour MP Silvio Grixti is suspected of being at the centre of a fraud that allowed benefit fraudsters to cash around €450 monthly welfare payments by falsely claiming to be severely disabled.
In April it was revealed that hundreds of people who fraudulently received the benefits could be granted a presidential pardon.
On Monday, the figures were provided by Family Minister Michael Falzon in a reply to a parliamentary question by Nationalist MP Graziella Attard Previ.
Falzon said that right now, 3,621 people received a severe disability allowance and that 151 individuals have been informed they will no longer receive the assistance this year.
Meanwhile, 202 people have applied to receive the severe disability allowance this year. So far, 53 of these 202 will be receiving the allowance.
A total of 43 people were informed they would not be receiving the allowance.