The Foundation for Social Welfare Services has rejected claims that homeless people cannot apply for social benefits since they do not have a permanent address, with the agency saying it even “lends” its own address to clients.
However, YMCA – which provides services to roofless and homeless people in Malta – said this ‘lending of address’ resolved the issue only for those under the radar of FSWS.
FSWS was reacting to Times of Malta interviews with a roofless woman and YMCA CEO Anthony Camilleri.
Ramona Vassallo recently opened up about how she dreads sunset, knowing she will have to spend the night outdoors.
After years of drug abuse and periods in jail, the 52-year-old said she was looking for a shelter that would also accept her dog Bucky. She admitted with Times of Malta she was not proud of her past but needed a break and was trying her best.
Camilleri meanwhile said the NGO was seeing a record number of people sleeping on the streets. It remains unclear exactly how many people sleep outside, as not all are aware of the available services or are keen on seeking support.
Camilleri, social workers and homeless people told Times of Malta that several who are homeless cannot apply for facilities such as an identity card, a bus card, a bank account, a mortgage, social benefits or housing because to do so, one needs a permanent address.
And if they manage to find a place in a temporary shelter, they could end up roofless once they turn 60, because technically they should then be able to be housed in a home for the elderly. But the waiting lists for such homes are long and they have to sleep outdoors in the meantime.
Reacting, FSWS CEO Alfred Grixti said this was “factually wrong”.
A new measure introduced in 2022’s budget allowed homeless people to apply for social benefits as long as they were being followed by the FSWS, he said, adding: “To this end the, FSWS ‘lent’ its address to known service users so that they may apply for social benefits.”
We keep going around in circles because of this address issue- Anthony Camilleri
But Camilleri told Times of Malta this measure was limited to those within the radar of Aġenzija Appoġġ.
“We keep going around in circles because of this address issue. Not all homeless or roofless people are aware of this measure, while not all NGO clients want to be serviced by FSWS.
“There needs to be a solution – not just for social benefits, but also other necessities such as opening a bank account – for all people who do not have a permanent address, and not just those being followed by FSWS.”
Meanwhile, Grixti also said the 60-years cut-off point was “an arbitrary one taken by certain administrators of certain shelters who seem to forget that the official retirement age is now 65”. Homeless people aged between 60 and 65 should therefore be admitted to shelters as long as they do not have any serious medical problems.
If they have serious medical problems and are aged under 65, the Active Ageing and Community Care Agency will find them placement in a facility with which it has contractual agreements to provide beds, Grixti said.
He also referred to the current Public Social Partnerships which states that shelters’ residents means “homeless male, female and children of all ages up to 65 years who have been referred by Appoġġ services”.
Grixti acknowledged that according to FSWS records, the YMCA has taken in 14 homeless people aged between 60 and 65 since 2022. During the same period, however, YMCA refused a placement to four people within this age bracket, he said.
But Camilleri said shelters usually allowed homeless people to reside there for a maximum of 12 or 18 months.
“If they are 60+, have no medical issues and have already spent 18 months in a shelter, but their pension is not enough to cover rent, where do they go until they turn 65? This issue has not been addressed yet,” Camilleri said.
In collaboration with the government, the NGO was planning on opening a centre that would specifically cater for people aged over 60.