Budget 2026: Free gym memberships extended to include 16-year-olds
Parents who children are in Year 10 and 11 will be provided €500 for digital devices and resources
The free six-month gym membership available to young adults has been extended to teenagers between the ages of 16 to 21, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana announced in the Budget speech.
The free gym subscription was first introduced to those born in 2005, 2006, and 2007 in last year's budget, after it was proposed by fitness group Bulletproof Culture, who had shared a video of former bodybuilder Robert Abela working out as part of their campaign.
Over the weekend, the same fitness group posted several videos asking whether the free gym subscription will be extended to younger people.
Caruana said the measure will be extended to young people between the ages of 16 and 21, therefore, those born between 2004-2009.
A six-month gym membership can cost anywhere between €250-€450, with most gyms providing a slight discount for students.
€500 financial assistance for digital resources
A €500 financial assistance will be provided to families who have children in Year 10 and 11, which will go towards purchasing digital devices and resources.
The measure will help students to have equal access to technology and is a significant measure for the digital education of students, Caruana said.
Caruana said the government would have distributed around 20,000 digital devices to Year 4,7,8, and 9 by the end of 2025.
The initiative is part of the government's electoral manifesto, which is committed to giving secondary students a free laptop.