FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 1978
MORE SOCIAL SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS FROM APRIL
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THE GOVERNMENT IS TO IMPLEMENT AS FROM APRIL 1 FURTHER MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEMES WHICH WILL PROVIDE FOR NEW BENEFITS AND COVER MORE PEOPLE IN NEED OF WELFARE ASSISTANCE.
THE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BENEFIT A MAJORITY OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS IN THE FORM OF OLD-AGE SUPPLEMENT, LONG-TERM SUPPLEMENT, AND +DISREGARDED INCOME+ IN WORKING OUT THEIR AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE.
PERSONS ELIGIBLE FOR THE WELFARE ALLOWANCE SCHEME, PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS THE DISABILITY AND INFIRMITY ALLOWANCE SCHEME, WILL NOW ALSO INCLUDE THOSE LIVING IN INSTITUTIONS.
IN ADDITION, AN INDEPENDENT APPEAL BOARD WILL BE SET UP TO PROVIDE A SPEEDY MEANS OF REDRESS FOR ANYONE WHO IS DISSATISFIED WITH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S DECISIONS ON SOCIAL SECURITY APPLICATIONS.
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ANNOUNCING THE IMPROVED SCHEMES, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE (GENERAL) MR. STEPHEN LAW, SAID TODAY THEIR IMPLEMENTATION WOULD COST AN ESTIMATED 49 MILLION IN THE YEAR 1978-79.
MR. LAW SAID THEY WERE PART OF A PHASED PROGRAMME OF PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN THE GREEN PAPER ON SOCIAL SECURITY DEVELOPMENT WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
HE SAID THAT WHILE A SURVEY OF PUBLIC OPINION WAS CONTINUING ON THE GREEN PAPER AS A WHOLE, PARTICULARLY ON THE PROPOSED SICKNESS, INJURY AND DEATH BENEFIT SCHEME, AN INTERIM ASSESSMENT HAS INDICATED BROAD ACCEPTANCE OF THESE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS WHICH WERE SUGGESTED FOR IMPLEMENTATION NEXT MONTH. AFTER SEEKING THE VIEWS OF THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO 'TRODUCE THESE MEASURES ..ITHOUT DELAY.
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DETAILS OF THE VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED WEXT MONTH ARE:
* OLD-AGE SUPPLEMENT THIS WILL BE PAYABLE EACH MONTH TO
THOSE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS AGED 60 AND OVER UNLESS THEY ARE RECEIVING A DISABILITY OR OLD AGE ALLOWANCE. THE AMCUNT ILL BE EQUAL TO THE CLD ACE ALLOWANCE WHICH IS NOW
100 A MONTH. (FOR UNIFORMITY, THE PETIREMENT AGE FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CLIENTS WILL GO UP FROM 55 TO 60).
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LONG-TERM SUPPLEMENT THIS WILL BE AN ANNUAL SUPPLEMENT OF $500 FOR A FAMILY OP $250 FOR A SINGLE PERSON WHO HAVE BEEN RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR MORE THAN 12 MONTHS, 11 ORDER TO HELP REPLACE HOUSEHOLD AND DURABLE GOODS,
/* DISREGARDED
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