Senior Citizen Grant, also known as SCG
The €300 allowance was first introduced in 2012 to those aged 80 and over. In 2013, age was decreased to 78 years. In 2014, the age group was widened again whereby the age was lowered to 75, allowing more elderly persons to benefit from such a grant.
It is a one-time payment grant of €300, issued yearly, which is not taxable and issued for elderly persons who are 75 years of age and over who live in their own residence or with their relatives in their own homes and have not been admitted into an institution / hospital.
For those elderly persons whose 75th birthday falls within the year, a pro rata rate is issued with effect from the 75th birthday up to end of year. For those who are in receipt of a contributory or non-contributory pension from the Department of Social Security, grant will be received automatically the following month.
With effect from 2020, for people aged 80 and over and who live in their own home, grant will increase to €350.
Furthermore, with effect from 2020, the senior citizen grant will also be paid to elderly persons 75 years of age and older, paying their own private home costs.
Who is eligible to receive the €300 grant?
- Maltese Nationals who live permanently in Malta, who are 75 years of age and over, who live in their own residence or with their relatives.
- Elderly persons 75 years of age and older, paying their own private home costs.
- Foreigners too are eligible but need to be in possession of a permanent residency in Malta and hold the following nationalities:
Member States of the Council of Europe (COE) & the European Social Charter
Member States of the European Union (EU) & the European Economic Area (EEA)
Australia & Canada (Reciprocal Agreement Countries)
Note: Elderly persons who are not in receipt of a contributory or non-contributory benefit from the Department of Social Security need to fill in the prescribed form. Applicants can visit their nearest district office. Applications can be downloaded, completed and sent by post or can be submitted online.
Below Senior Citizen Grant applications can be downloaded, printed and sent by post
An online application can be submitted through the following links
Furthermore, elderly persons whose ID Card Number ends with an ‘A’ or a ‘P’ and meet criteria above need to apply every year to receive the grant, indicating their nationality and attaching copy of their identity card.
Admission in an institution / hospital for a period of time and discharged same year.
If you / a relative / a friend are / is entitled to such a grant and have / has been admitted into a institution / hospital and discharged that same year, a proportion of the grant will be given for the period living at home, unless it’s a private home – paying your own private home costs.
If full grant is received erroneously, this would constitute an over-payment for the non-eligible period, which amount would need to be refunded to the Social Security Department.
If grant is not received because you / a relative / a friend were / was in an institution / hospital for a period of time, the application form needs to be completed, attaching a discharge letter from institution / hospital.
In cases of death
If SCG grant is received in full, prior to date of death, no over-payment is due.
If SCG grant was entitled to the elderly, but same elderly passed away before payment was issued, spouse / heirs need to apply for a pro-rata through District Office by filling-in an heirs’ application form.