SOCIAL WELFARE
Social Security
The Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme and the Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme, form the mainstay of Hong Kong's social security system. They are supplemented by three accident compensation schemes: the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme, the Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme and Emergency Relief.
The CSSA Scheme is non-contributory but means-tested. It aims at providing cash. assistance to people suffering financial hardship in meeting essential and special needs of livelihood. Applicants must satisfy the residence requirement. CSSA applicants aged 15 to 59, if unemployed and in normal health, are expected to seek work by registering for employment assistance with the Labour Department. CSSA payments can be broadly classified into three categories: standard rates; supplements and special grants. Elderly CSSA recipients who have received CSSA continuously for three years are allowed to continue to receive their monthly standard rate and annual long-term supplement if they choose to retire to Guangdong.
The amount of CSSA is determined by the applicant's resources and needs. The difference between the applicant's income and total needs as determined by reference to certain prescribed levels will be the amount of assistance payable. The standard rates and other related payments were increased by 4.8 per cent in April 1998 to take account of inflation. Moreover, the monthly CSSA payment for the elderly was increased by $398 in real terms from April 1998.
At the end of the year, there were 231 800 CSSA cases, compared with 188 800 in 1997. Total expenditure during the year amounted to $11.08 billion, representing an increase of 26.9 per cent over the previous year.
The non-contributory SSA Scheme provides flat-rate allowances to meet the special needs of the severely disabled and the elderly persons who are not receiving CSSA.
Four allowances are payable under the SSA Scheme:
• Normal Disability Allowance
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For severely disabled persons who, broadly speaking, suffer from a 100 per cent loss of earning capacity, or who are profoundly deaf.
Higher Disability Allowance
For severely disabled persons who require constant attendance from others in their daily life but are not receiving such care in a government or medical institution under the Hospital Authority.
Normal Old Age Allowance
For persons aged between 65 and 69 whose income and assets do not exceed the prescribed levels.
Higher Old Age Allowance
•
For persons aged 70 or over.
The levels of allowance were raised by 4.8 per cent in April 1998 to take account of inflation.
At the end of the year 526 200 people were receiving social security allowances, compared with 520 600 at the end of 1997. Total expenditure during the year was $4.6 billion, representing an increase of 7 per cent over the previous year.
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