Close to 80,000 people in Malta fall below the risk-of-poverty line, the National Statistics Office has revealed, as questions surrounding the rising cost of living bubble to the surface.

That’s about 16.8% of the entire country, an increase of 0.1% when compared to the previous year.

Roughly 3% of the country suffers ‘severe material deprivation’, down by 0.3%. However, that means that there are 15,000 people are battling serious poverty.

Anyone who earns below €8,868 falls beneath the at-risk-of-poverty line.

The figures form part of the European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions that are based on 2017’s data.

According to the report, the average disposable household income stood at €27,830.