Over 16,800 people in Malta are working beyond retirement age, new figures have revealed.

Following a parliamentary question from MP Jason Azzopardi, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana revealed that there 16,816 people working beyond their pensions. 

Statistics revealed that as of September 2020 there were 11,886 men and 4,930 women over the age of 62 are still working to some degree or another.

The majority of people working beyond 62 are employed on a full-time basis, with 2,659 women and 7,150 men working a 40-hour week. 

This is a significant increase when compared to previous figures. In 2019, just under 13,000 people worked beyond 62.

The reasons for someone working beyond retirement age and the increase could be varied, particularly with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. 

While some people simply want to continue you in their profession to come capacity, others are forced to stay in the workforce to keep up with costs.

Malta does currently face some issues with its elderly population,  while pensions have increased, so has the cost of living. NSO figures show that more than a quarter of all people in Malta aged 65 and over are at risk of falling beneath the poverty line.

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