5,184 single parents were on some form of social benefits as of last April, social solidarity minister Michael Farrugia revealed. Responding to a parliamentary question by opposition MP Clyde Puli, Farrugia revealed that the government spent €6,312,863 on benefits for single parents, €2,237,818 on social assistance, €1,281,482 on the ‘Social Assistance for Single Parents’ scheme, €1,396,045 on unemployment assistance and €1,397,518 on medical assistance. This made up 10.58% of the government’s total expenditure on social benefits. The government also spent €6,008,248 on the most recent children’s allowance payment. There are 371 fewer single parents on social benefits compared with the previous  year and 418 single parents have benefited from the benefit tapering scheme - a gradual phasing out of social benefits for unemployed people who find a job - since its introduction at the start of 2014.