THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1977
RATES OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND DISABILITY AND INFIRMITY ALLOWANCES TO BE INCREASED BY 11 PER CENT ******
THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THE SCALE OF PAYMENTS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (PA) AND DISABILITY AND INFIRMITY ALLOWANCES (DIA) WILL BE INCREASED BY ABOUT 11 PER CENT IN FEBRUARY NEXT YEAR.
COMMENTING ON THE INCREASES, MR. LU YU-HUA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, SAID IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE POOREST SECTOR OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RATES ARE INCREASED FROM TIME TO TIME TO MAINTAIN THEIR PURCHASING POWER.+
HE NOTED THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT ALWAYS KEEPS A CLOSE WATCH ON THE LEVELS OF PA AND DIA BY REFERRING EACH MONTH TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE INDEX.
+THIS INDEX IS MADE UP OF THOSE ELEMENTS IN THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX SUCH AS FOOD, FUEL, LIGHTING, CLOTHING IN PROPORTIONS REFLECTING THE SPENDING HABITS OF OUR POORER FAMILIES. RENT IS EXCLUDED BECAUSE IT IS ALLOWED FOR SEPARATELY IN CALCULATING THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE PAYABLE,+ HE SAID.
THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME WAS INTRODUCED IN 1971 AND THE RATES WERE IMPROVED IN REAL TERMS IN APRIL 1972, MR. LU SAID.
+ THE 1972 BASIC RATE WAS FIRST INCREASED IN JULY 1973 BY NINE PER CENT, AND BY 21 PER CENT IN JANUARY 1974 AND AGAIN BY 24 PER CENT IN JUNE THAT SAME YEAR.+
+
THE RATES OF PAYMENT TO BE INCREASED IN FEBRUARY NEXT YEAR ARE AS FOLLOWS:
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
*
FOR A SINGLE PERSON ON HIS OWN
FROM $180 TO $200
* FOR A FAMILY
—
FIRST THREE ELIGIBLE MEMBERS
SECOND THREE ELIGIBLE MEMBERS
EACH ADDITIONAL ELIGIBLE MEMBER
DISABILITY ALLOWANCE
INFIRMITY ALLOWANCE
FROM $130 TO $145 PER PERSON
FROM $105 TO $120 PER PERSON
FROM $80 TO $90 PER PERSON
FROM $180 TO $200
FROM $90 TO $100
/AS AN EXAMPLE