The future of subsidised welfare services for the elderly in Malta

Abstract

Malta's population is ageing. Due to this, government's provision of services for the elderly is projected to rise. This increase in the demand for the services for the elderly has to be met with government's fiscal targets, which are a reduction in public debt and reaching a balanced budget by 2010. Thus this demand a reconsideration of social welfare programmes. By examining the programmes of the main political parties one can clearly see that they are going back to the universalist approach. This dissertation evaluates the future of subsidised welfare services in Malta. The income-in-kind of two services, which are the meals on wheels and the telecare service, is calculated in order to see the increase in the price of each service if these are no longer subsidised. This burden is added to the weekly expenditure of the elderly in order to see their true weekly consumption. Also, this gives an indication as to whether the people aged 60+ can continue to purchase such services if they are no longer subsidised. This dissertation evaluates the future of subsidised welfare services and the consequences that arise if the elderly have to pay the full market price.