Over €4 million have been so far paid out in assistance schemes that benefit people whose income is impacted by COVID-19 and do not qualify for economic support, the Social Solidarity Ministry said on Thursday. 

Permanent secretary Mark Musu said that the ministry had received over 8,500 applications for financial assistance, with 1,300 coming in the past week alone. 

Since March 1, the ministry had been able to process around 7,600 of the applications received, with roughly 91% of those who applied for assistance having already received the benefit. 

In total, €4.3 million have been spent on assistance benefits so far, around €400,000 of which were paid out in social security contributions. 

The ministry provides assistance under four benefit schemes; for parents who have to stay home to take care of their children and do not have the facility to work from home, for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses who are considered vulnerable and are not able to work from home, as well as a benefit for those who have lost their jobs and do not qualify for regular unemployment and medical benefits. 

Recipients of the benefits who were full-time employees receive €800 a month, while those who worked part-time get €500 a month. Social security contributions are also paid out from these benefits while recipients will also continue to receive any other benefits they were entitled to, such as children's allowance or the in-work benefit. 

Musu said 103 people had stopped receiving benefits from the Social Solidarity Ministry as they had become eligible under a Malta Enterprise scheme or have resumed their work from home. 

A further 44 people had been registering for unemployment but have since found new jobs. 

Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon said it was significant that while applications for assistance had increased, workers had been able to process a large majority of new applications while maintaining their existing duties as well as implementing new measures announced in the last budget. 

When asked how long the government projected it could sustain paying out substantial additional assistance, Falzon said that while it was his hope that applications would decrease, there was no cut-off point for the schemes and they were intended to help the people who need them. 

"How long these measures will be necessary is anyone's guess, but financially we are looking to sustain as many people who need it. While there isn't a threshold, we hope we won't find ourselves in circumstances when it will become difficult to do so."