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(and for public assistance) and five years residence for old
ago (infirmity) allowance. At present, when a person receiving
an allowance leaves Hong Kong, he does not immediately qualify
for the allowance on his return. Instead he has to wait for a
period, the length of which depends on how long he was away
from Hong Kong. It is considered unreasonable to expect such
a person to requalify for any allowance (whether disability
allowance, old age (infirmity) allowance or public assistance).
Instead it is proposed that such persons should not have to
requalify on their return. Under the new test, such persons
would lose the allowance for periods of more than 8 weeks out
of Hong Kong, but payment would resume when they reapplied
after their return. There would not be a significant cost,
and might even be a saving when administrative costs are taken
into account. The change would be widely welcomed.
the
Extending scheme to those incapable of work
Extending
27.
Consultations have indicated general agreement that
it would be desirable and logical to extend the social security
(disability and infirmity allowance) scheme to cover those
incapable of work for prolonged periods because of illness,
injury or disability; and it is proposed that this be done.
The aim of the extension would be to provide an allowance to
those whose incapacity had meant that they were unable to work
over a long period and who needed some measure of care and
attention. A further consideration is that since the provision
of residential institutional accommodation is limited and
likely to remain so, the allowance would have the additional
advantage of encouraging that are to be given in the community
as far as nossible.
i