Invalidity Pension (DSS)

The Invalidity Pension may be awarded to a person who is certified as being incapable for suitable full-time or part-time employment or self-employment, due to a serious disease or physical or mental impairment, subject to the relative social security contribution conditions under the Social Security Act (Cap. 318.).

This pension may also be awarded to a claimant who had a claim for Injury Benefit accepted and was certified to have suffered more than 90% disablement resulting from the same injury or a disease arising out of, or during course of his/her employment or self-occupation.

If a claimant is granted the Invalidity Pension, Social Security Credits are awarded when a retirement pension assessment claim is being carried out.

The applicant must have submitted at least six (6) months of the blue medical certificates to the Department of Social Security for his/her invalidity, prior to submitting a claim for the Invalidity Pension.

For those applicants who are employed with the civil service, are first seen by the People and Standards Department (P&SD) board, and subsequently, their claim will next be taken to the Department of Social Security Board.

The Invalidity Pension is paid every four (4) weeks in advance.

There are two (2) categories of invalidity pension a person can receive:

• IP - Invalidity Pension for a claimant in receipt of Service Pension.

• NMIP - Invalidity Pension for a claimant not in receipt of Service Pension.

Please click here for a Schedule of Benefits Rates.

Fill in and submit the application online.

General eligibility criteria:

• A person, who is under the retirement age.

• Applicant has been continuously in full-time or regular part-time employment or self-occupation, or registering for work under Part 1 for a period of not less than twelve (12) months prior to the date of application.

• Applicant has been certified incapable for suitable regular full-time or part-time employment by a Medical Panel appointed by law.

• The incapacity mentioned above is considered by the Medical Panel as prohibiting an individual from suitable full-time or regular part-time employment or self-occupation for not more than three (3) years and not less than one (1) year.

• On the date of claim for the Invalidity Pension, the applicant has at least two-hundred and fifty (250) paid social security contributions, and paid or credited with at least an average of twenty (20) social security contributions per year from the age of eighteen (18) years of age, till the date of the claim.

• Persons who suffer from a severe mental condition, qualify for an Invalidity pension if the applicant has at least fifty (50) Social Security contributions throughout his/her life.

• A person applying for the Invalidity Pension with a terminal illness has the right to start receiving the full rate of the Invalidity Pension even though one may have an average Social Security contribution of less than fifty (50) per year, as long as it has a minimum of fifty (50) Social Security contributions paid throughout his/her life.

• The benefit rate for the Invalidity Pension depends on whether the claimant is married or single. Hence if a claimant has a change in civil status, it is important that the Department of Social Security is informed at the earliest, as this might reflect a change in this pension rate.

• Once the person in receipt of the Invalidity Pension reaches the age of 61 years and has the required social security contributions paid and credited, an application for the Retirement Pension may be applicable if eligible. However, it is to be noted that the Department of Social Security only sends a notification for the Retirement Pension application once the beneficiary  reaches the official retirement age.

Documentation required
General documentation:

• Medical Certification to certify his/her invalidity - Click here to download this medical report which is to be filled in by a medical consultant. In the case where the Medical Certification document is not available due to medical appointments being set far off, when available, it is to be sent to the Department of Social Security by visiting contactdss.gov.mt to upload the document. It is to be noted that the medical board will not be able to continue further with the process unless the medical report is at hand.

• Any other medical records, such as hospital case summaries, to further proof the invalidity.

• An FS3 of all employments if claimant was employed, or Profit and Loss Account together with the respective social security contributions receipts if claimant is self-occupied, of the previous year of application prior to the claim. These documents are requested to update the social security contributions record accordingly. 

• When an Invalidity Pension is approved by the medical board, the Department of Social Security requests an updated JobsPlus History Sheet showing the termination date/s of all the claimant’s employment/s. Hence this document is not mandatory at the application stage.

• Ensure that your banking details held by the Department of Social Security are updated to receive payments by direct deposit in a bank account. The IBAN number should be a local savings or current account, but not a loan account. The indicated account must be in the name of the beneficiary only. Banking details can be updated on bankingdss.gov.mt.