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Monday, June 11, 1973
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RATES AND DISABILITY ALLOWANCE INCREASED BY 11 PER CENT
The government is to increase the rate of public assistance and
disability allowance with effect from the beginning of next month.
The increases, which have been approved by the Finance Committee,
amount to approximately 11 per cent overall and are intended to restore
the purchasing power of the public assistance rates so that they are worth
as much as they were when new rates were introduced in April 1972.
Commenting on the increases, Mr. T.S. Heppell, Assistant Director
of Social Welfare, said today: "When the government introduced the expanded
public assistance scheme in 1971, it promised that the rate of the allowances
would be kept under regular review. In April 1972, the rates were substantially
increased, by about 60 per cent.
"This further increase with effect from July 1 demonstrates that
the government is determined to protect the interests of the poorest members of
the community - those who are receiving public assistance," he said.
The new rates of public assistance will be as follows, the old
rates are shown in brackets:
For a single person on his own'
$120
($110)
For a family:
First three eligible members
$ 90
($ 80) each
Next three eligible members
$ 70
($ 65) each
Each additional eligible member
* $ 55
($ 50) each
/Because