One in seven Gozitan households receive state aid for utility bills

Newly published parliamentary data reveals that around 14% of households in Gozo are receiving government assistance to pay their electricity and water bills.

According to Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon, 1,036 Gozitan families currently benefit from the energy assistance programme, which is available to households with an annual income of less than €12,500.

The benefit is intended to help low-income families mitigate utility costs. It covers up to 30% of bills and offers additional subsidies for meter rental fees.

More than half of these families also receive further support to cover the cost of renting water and electricity meters.

The figures emerged in response to a parliamentary question by Gozitan PN MP Chris Said. The numbers are particularly significant when considered alongside the latest census data, which indicates Gozo has approximately 7,300 households.

The rest of the 16,325 housing units on the island are either used for tourism or occupied by Maltese residents on a seasonal basis.

This means nearly one in seven households on the island relies on this form of state aid.

No equivalent data is available for Malta, making it difficult to draw direct comparisons. However, the level of support required in Gozo has raised questions about the true extent of poverty on the island amid sustained national economic growth — or whether the system is being exploited.

The energy benefit caps support at €75 per person annually for bill coverage, with additional subsidies of up to €65 for electricity meter rent and €59 for water meter rent.