High at-risk-of-poverty rate for pensioners

Almost 25% of Malta's population, or 102,026 persons, were 60 years old or over, data from the National Statistics Office on the international day of older persons shows.

Women made up the largest share of this population segment, reaching 55 per cent of the total.

There were 75 grooms and 18 brides who tied the knot last year. A third of these persons married for the first time, while 54 per cent were previously divorced.

Out of 3,418 persons who passed away during 2012, 82 per cent were aged 65 and over. Just over half these deaths were caused by diseases of the circulatory system, followed by neoplasms, accounting for 24 per cent.

Last year, total government expenditure on retirement and old-age pensions amounted to €416 million, increasing by 7 per cent when compared to 2011 levels.

Figures derived from the 2011 Statistics on Income and Living Conditions Survey show that persons over 59 had an at-risk-of-poverty rate of 17 per cent and an at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion rate of 21 per cent.

From the same survey, results show that 48 per cent of the elderly could not afford to pay for a one-week annual holiday away from home, while 23 per cent could not afford to face unexpected expenses of €450 and over. Furthermore, 17 per cent said that they were not able to keep their home adequately warm in winter.

Past Labour Force Surveys reveal an increasing trend in the participation of persons aged 60 and over in employment, rising from 4 per cent in 2002 to 7 per cent in 2012.

There were 43 persons aged 60 and over reading for a degree at the University of Malta. Around 49 per cent of these students were attending a course leading to a Second Degree or Postgraduate Certificate, while 7 per cent were undertaking a course at PhD level.

Nearly 70 per cent of attendees were males.

A rise in outbound tourists aged 65 and over was recorded over the three past years, increasing from 19,598 in 2010 to 28,460 in 2012. At 86 per cent, most of these outbound tourists travelled to EU countries, while 26 per cent opted for non-package travel. The two most popular destinations were Italy and the UK, with shares of 29 and 27 per cent of the total respectively.