Sickness benefits and sickness assistance in Malta

Abstract

The payment of sickness benefit and the grant of sickness assistance are regulated by means of the National Insurance Act and the National Assistance Act respectively. These Acts were both passed by the Maltese Legislative Assembly in 1956. The year 1956, wrote the Director of Emigration Labour and Social Welfare, will be remembered for the introduction of Social Insurance and for the improvement and co-ordination of social security measures in general. (l) 2~ On the 7th November, 1955t the Minister for Finance in the Labour Administration announced the views of his Government on the introduction of social security benefits in Malta. During that same year increases were allowed in the rates payable as outdoor medical relief. Milk subsidies were raised and the allowances payable to dependants of Tuberculosis and Leper patients were raised. Assistance was granted to outpatients of the Leprosy Clinic and hospital patients were allowed free anti-biotics. Despite all these measures the Labour Government felt that they were still a 10ng way behind the United Kingdom in the provision of social security benefits. The view of the Government was that nothing short of a comprehensive scheme of National Insurance (1) Report of the Department of Emigration, Labour and social Welfare (1956). will satisfy the needs of the working population ( 2). [...]