What’s New – March 2026 Updates to Social Security Services

A quick look at recent updates to benefits, applications and guidance.

📌 Benefits for Parents & Families

Parental Bereavement Leave Benefit

A new benefit enabling employers to request a refund for Parental Bereavement Leave granted to parents experiencing the unfortunate loss of their minor child. Read more.

Miscarriage Special Leave Benefit

A new benefit whereby employers can request a refund of the Miscarriage Special Leave granted to a person suffering a miscarriage. The entitlement is now also available to the eligible  spouse/partner even if the unfortunate mother is unemployed. Read more.

Social Assistances

A signed legal document by a registered Lawyer/Notary is now required for Care & Custody Details required by the Department of Social Security for the vetting process, instead of the Care & Custody form provided by the Department, in respect only to those requesting Social Assistance and Single Unmarried Parent Assistance. Read more.

Medical Board Appointment – Reschedule, Cancel or Home Visit

• Prospective beneficiaries for all Disability Assistances, including the Disability Child Allowance, requiring to cancel or postpone a Medical board meeting now have another option on how to contact the department by sending an email to the section involved. Read more.

📌 Employers & HR – Application Updates

Miscarriage Special Leave Benefit

• e-ID authentication has been introduced for the Medical Practitioner’s application for more data security.
• For the application submission, employers are requested to upload the employee’s FS3 of the previous year of request. However, if the mother was not employed with the same employer in the previous year of making the request the FS3 for is not required. Read more.

📌 Identity, Registration & Status

Social Security Number (SSN) – Automatic Process Clarification and Obligations

• Guidelines updated to clarify the automated SSN process and reduce unnecessary applications.
• Prospective employees should not visit Servizz.gov hubs or Jobsplus centres to apply for an SSN.
• All TCNs and EU citizens holding a Maltese Residency Card ending with “A” must have their employer submit the Jobsplus Engagement Form online.
• Prospective employees should not submit an SSN application online, as this duplicates unwanted requests.

📌 Contributions & EU Working Rules

Social Security Contributions – Working in the EU

• The Self‑Assessment Tool has been updated. This tool helps individuals to find out whether, as an employer or a self-employed person, they are obliged to pay social security contributions in Malta for their employees, or for themselves, when working in a cross-border situation between two (or more) EU countries.Read more.

Retrospective Payments of Contributions

• As per Budget Measures 2026: A person not eligible for a Retirement Pension due to not having enough Social Security contributions and need to make up 10 years of contributions, may still request for retrospective Payments of Social Security contributions, even if no longer in employment.
• Child Credits do not apply to individuals who can make backdated payments just to be entitled to a retirement pension.

📌 Pensions & Retirement

Retirement Pension – 2026 Budget Measures

• Updates include new Addiction Programme Credits: A person who has terminated an addiction certified program will be awarded contribution credits for the same number of weeks as the credited period for up to a maximum of two (2) years, provided that an official discharge letter is provided and the person engages in a full-time employment.

Invalidity Pension – Social Security Contribution Credits

All the years that a beneficiary receiving the Invalidity Pension are credited but for pension purposes only.

📌 Contact & Personal Details

Contact Details Update (SMS Notifications)

Process now sends an SMS notification when the contact details have been updated when the applicant does not provide an email address when requesting to update his/her contact details when visiting a Servizzz.gov hub.

Banking Details Update

Process now sends an SMS notification when the banking details are updated when the applicant does not provide an email address when visiting a Servizzz.gov hub.

📌 Reporting a Death of a beneficiary Updates

Process now sends an SMS notification when a ciitizen visits a Servizz.gov hub to report the death of a social security beneficiary and does not provide an email access during the report process.