Disability Assistances

Overview

There are four (4) types of disability assistances available under Malta’s social security framework. These assistances are designed to provide financial support to individuals with physical, intellectual, sensory, or severe disabilities, depending on their age and medical condition. The assistances include:

Disability Assistance – for individuals aged 16 to under 65 with total paralysis, severe physical impairment, limb amputation, or hearing/speech impairments.
Severe Disability Assistance (Physical) – for individuals with a physical disability who are capable of gainful employment.
Severe Disability Assistance (Intellectual) – for individuals with intellectual and general learning disabilities.
Assistance for the Visually Impaired – for individuals aged 14 and over who are partially or completely visually impaired.

For those children who are younger than the indicated ages above, the Department of Social Security may also provide them with the Disability Child Allowance depending on eligibility criteria.

What you’ll get

Payments are issued every four (4) weeks in advance. Benefit amounts vary depending on the type of assistance awarded and are subject to the current Schedule of Benefits Rates.

Please click here for a Schedule of Benefits Rates.

Eligibility

This section outlines the conditions that must be met to qualify for each type of disability assistance. Eligibility is based on age, type of disability, and medical assessment, and is not subject to means testing. Specific criteria apply to each assistance type.

Disability Assistance:

The person A Disability Assistance may be awarded to a person with a disability who is between sixteen (16) years and under sixty-five (65) years of age.
The person must have suffered from the disability before reaching the age of sixty (60) years.
The applicant is suffering from either:
- total paralysis; or
- permanent total severe malfunction; or
- permanent total disability through the amputation or otherwise of one of the upper or lower limb; or
- hearing impairment; or
- a speech impairment.
The Inter-Professional Board will decide whether the case falls within the medical parameters for payment of this assistance.
An applicant can be gainfully occupied since eligibility for Disability Assistance is not means tested.
The provisions of Article 90 of the Social Security Act (Cap. 318.) “Duplicate Rights” apply, wherein a beneficiary cannot be in receipt of two pensions; benefits; assistances or allowances concurrently but to the most beneficial pension; benefit; assistance or allowance. However, as from 2025 as per budget measure, one may still be entitled to ten percent (10%) of the Disability Pension, should the Contributory Retirement Pension rate be higher than the Disability Pension rate.
A person who is already in receipt of the Assistance for the Visually Impaired and is turning sixty (60) years of age will have the entitlement increased to the equivalent of the Age Pension rate.
An applicant who was eligible for the Disability Child Allowance prior to turning sixteen (16) years of age, may still be examined by the Inter-Professional board for eligibility of the Disability Assistance.

Severe Disability Assistance (Physical):

A Severe Disability Assistance may be awarded to a person with a physical disability who is between sixteen (16) years and under sixty-five (65) years of age.
The person must have suffered from the disability before reaching the age of sixty (60) years.
An applicant can be gainfully occupied, since eligibility for Severe Disability Assistance is not means tested.
A person who is already in receipt of the Severe Disability Assistance and is turning sixty (60) years of age will have the entitlement increased to the equivalent of the Age Pension rate.
The provisions of Article 90 of the Social Security Act (Cap. 318.) “Duplicate Rights” apply, wherein a beneficiary cannot be in receipt of two pensions; benefits; assistances or allowances concurrently but to the most beneficial pension; benefit; assistance or allowance.
The Inter-Professional Board will decide whether the case falls within the medical parameters for payment of this assistance.
An applicant who was eligible for the Disability Child Allowance prior to turning sixteen (16) years of age, may still be examined by the Inter-Professional board for eligibility of the Severe Disability Assistance (Physical).

Severe Disability Assistance (Intellectual):

A Severe Intellectual Disability Assistance may be awarded to a person with an intellectual and general learning disability.
A Severe Disability Assistance may be awarded to a person with a physical disability who is between sixteen (16) years and under sixty-five (65) years of age.
The person must have suffered from the disability before reaching the age of sixty (60) years.
An applicant can be gainfully occupied since eligibility for Severe Intellectual Disability Assistance is not means tested.
A person who is already in receipt of the Severe Intellectual Disability Assistance and is turning sixty (60) years of age, will have the entitlement increased to the equivalent of the Age Pension rate.
The provisions of Article 90 of the Social Security Act (Cap. 318.) “Duplicate Rights” apply, wherein a beneficiary cannot be in receipt of two pensions; benefits; assistances or allowances concurrently but to the most beneficial pension; benefit; assistance or allowance.
The Inter-Professional Board will decide whether the case falls within the medical parameters for payment of this assistance.
An applicant who was eligible for the Disability Child Allowance prior to turning sixteen (16) years of age, may still be examined by the Inter-Professional board for eligibility of the Severe Disability Assistance (Intellectual).

Assistance for the Visually Impaired:

The applicant needs to be completely or partially visually impaired.
The applicant needs to be fourteen (14) years and under sixty-five (65) years of age.
The person must have suffered from the disability before reaching the age of sixty (60) years.
An applicant can be gainfully occupied since eligibility for Severe Intellectual Disability Assistance is not means tested.
A person who is already in receipt of the Assistance for the Visually Impaired and is turning sixty (60) years of age will have the entitlement increased to the equivalent of the Age Pension rate.
The provisions of Article 90 of the Social Security Act (Cap. 318.) “Duplicate Rights” apply, wherein a beneficiary cannot be in receipt of two pensions; benefits; assistances or allowances concurrently but to the most beneficial pension; benefit; assistance or allowance.
The Inter-Professional board will decide whether the case falls within the medical parameters for payment of this assistance.
An applicant who was eligible for the Disability Child Allowance prior to turning fourteen (14) years of age, may still be examined by the Inter-Professional board so as to check for eligibility for the Assistance for the Visually Impaired.

How to apply

Applications for disability assistances must be submitted by a treating specialist on behalf of the applicant, using the designated online medical report form on behalf of the applicant (read more).

Fill in and submit the Medical Report online.