Overview
In order to implement one of the measures identified in Budget 2021, the Prime Minister, the Minister for Finance and Employment and the Minister for the Social Justice and Solidarity, the Family and Children’s Rights have developed the following Scheme that aims to provide a once-only grant for persons who before officially joining the public service after 16th January 1979 had served in Government departments but not as public officers.
What You'll Get
This scheme applies to the period of time a person served in the public service during the qualifying period until the termination from the employment with the Government.
Therefore, this grant is awarded according to the number of years a person served in the public service as a public officer after 16 January 1979.
The grant will be paid only to the eligible applicant who qualify and comply with the provisions of this Scheme.
The payment of the grant shall be paid to the applicant by:
• Cheque sent by post to the address shown on the application form, or
• Be deposited directly into a bank account were the pension of the same applicant is deposited
No interests shall run on the amount of the grant due to the applicant. It is a condition of this Scheme that by accepting the grant, the applicant shall be renouncing to any other claim related to this Scheme and withdraw any case instituted against Government, Authority or Government entity.
The Scheme may be spread over a number of years with separate calls for application being issued from time to time. Each call for application shall be subject to a separate verification process.
Eligibility
• The Scheme applies to individuals, resident in Malta, who served in Government departments during the qualifying period, and who immediately following the termination of such qualifying period, served in the public service during the effective period.
• The Scheme also applies to the heirs of such individuals if they satisfy the conditions of this Scheme and if they are deceased when the application for the grant under the Scheme is made.
• The Scheme does not apply to individuals who are in receipt of, or have a right to receive, a pension under the Pensions Ordinance (Chapter 93), the Police Act (Chapter 164) or the Malta Armed Forces Act (Chapter 220).
Application Requirements
Persons who applied according to the schemes published in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 and received a payment since they were eligible for such payment, do not need to re-apply under this year’s scheme. However, in the case of the demise of an eligible applicant or authorized heir a new application has to be submitted by the authorised heir.
New applicants who qualify under the qualifying period, including the heirs where applicable, may apply for the grant in respect of the service provided during the effective period.
Applications under this Scheme shall be made on the application form shown in the Schedule to this Scheme and shall contain the information and all the details as required in the said form and under the same Scheme.
In the case of applications under this Scheme made on behalf of a deceased person, these are to presented by the heirs. If there is more than one heir, one application has to be presented by the authorised heir. Along with the application, a statement made by a notary declaring who is/are the heirs of the deceased and who is the authorised heir, where deceased person was eligible to apply for this scheme. The Department of Social Security reserves the right to request further documents in addition to the abovementioned statement.
Applications should be accompanied by any documents and other information that may be requested from time to time by the Minister for Finance and Employment or the Minister for Social Justice and Solidarity, the Family and Children’s Rights.
Applications under this Scheme, including the related documents, shall be submitted by not later than 31st July 2021.
