THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1976
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME
RENT ALLOWANCE TO BE INCREASED FROM SEPTEMBER 1
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RENT ALLOWANCE PROVIDED UNDER THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME WILL BE INCREASED FROM SEPTEMBER 1 THIS YEAR.
THE NEW MAXIMUM ALLOWANCE FOR A FAMILY OF BETWEEN 10 TO 12 PEOPLE HAS BEEN SET AT $557, WHICH IS MORE THAN TRIPLE THE EXISTING MAXIMUM OF $176.
ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. JIMMY SWEETMAN, RECALLED THAT THE EXISTING SCALE WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 1974, BUT SINCE THEN RENTALS OF PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, WHICH ARE THE BASIS FOR THE CALCULATION OF THE ALLOWANCE, HAVE INCREASED.
MOST PEOPLE DRAWING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ARE LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING. WITH THE INCREASE IN RENT ALLOWANCE, MR. SWEETMAN POINTED OUT, FAMILIES LIVING IN THE NEWEST PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES COMMANDING THE HIGHEST RENT WILL IN FUTURE NO LONGER HAVE TO SUBSIDISE THEIR RENT OUT OF THE PART OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE GIVEN TO THEM, THIS WILL ENABLE THEM TO USE THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE TO SUPPLEMENT ANY OTHER INCOME TO MEET THEIR BASIC FOOD AND CLOTHING REQUIREMENTS.
+FROM NOW ONWARDS WHEN EACH PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CASE COMES UP FOR REVIEW, THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICES WILL CALCULATE AND GRANT ANY INCREASE PAYABLE IN THE RENT ALLOWANCE,+ HE SAID.
+THE INCREASED RATES WILL BE EFFECTIVE FROM SEPTEMBER 1 THIS YEAR AND WILL BE OF COURSE BE BACK-DATED TO SEPTEMBER 1 IN RESPECT OF CASES OF REVIEW AFTER THAT DATE,+ HE ASSURED.
MR. SWEETMAN URGED PEOPLE RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE TO EXERCISE PATIENCE AS IT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME TO CONDUCT A COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE 53,000 CURRENT CASES.
HOWEVER, HE ADDED, CASES OF PARTICULAR HARDSHIP WOULD BE DEALT WITH ON APPLICATION AS ON EMERGENCY RELIEF MEASURE.
THE NEW MAXIMA FOR RENT ALLOWANCE WILL ALSO APPLY TO THOSE
WHO ARE TENANTS IN PRIVATE HOUSING.
THE NEW SCALE OF THE RENT ALLOWANCE IS AS FOLLOWS :-
NO. OF ELIGIBLE
PERSONS IN THE
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-12
HOUSEHOLD.
EXISTING MAXIMUM
RENT ALLOWANCES $ 41
82
130
160
176
176
NEW MAXIMUM RENT
ALLOWANCES $
63
190
285
345
406
557
ANYONE WHO IS IN DOUBT AS TO THEIR ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SHOULD CONTACT HIS NEAREST SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD OFFICE.
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