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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1978
POLICY ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR ELDERLY LIVING IN INSTITUTIONS
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THE REQUIREMENTS OF AN OLD PERSON LIVING IN AN INSTITUTION WHO IS ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ARE FULLY COVERED BY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND OLD AGE ALLOWANCES, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, THE HON. THOMAS LEE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE REV. THE HON. JOYCE BENNETT, MR. LEE SAID THE MAXIMUM MONTHLY AMOUNT WHICH AN OLD PERSON IN NEED MIGHT GET THROUGH SOCIAL SECURITY WAS ABOUT $384.
+THIS AMOUNT COMPRISES, SUBJECT TO ELIGIBILITY; PUBLIC ASSISTANCE OF UP TO $200 A MONTH, AN OLD AGE ALLOWANCE OR AN OLD AGE SUPPLEMENT OF $100 A MONTH, A LONG-TERM SUPPLEMENT OF $250 A YEAR, AND WHERE APPROPRIATE, A RENT ALLOWANCE OF UP TO $63 A MONTH,+ HE SAID.
WHERE AN OLD PEOPLE'S HOME CHARGED A FEE UP TO $200 A MONTH, HE SAID, THIS WOULD BE PAID FOR THROUGH PUBLIC ASSISTANCE IN THE
INDIVIDUAL CASES WHERE THE NEED FOR ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
+IN A HOSTEL FOR THE ELDERLY, AN OLD PERSON MAY BE ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE $63 AS RENT WHICH CAN AGAIN BE MET BY THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RENT ALLOWANCE, HE SAID.
ON THE PROBLEMS MENTIONED BY MISS BENNETT OF VOLUNTARY BODIES FINANCING THEIR OLD PEOPLE'S HOMES, MR. LEE SAID THERE MIGHT BE
INDIVIDUAL PROBLEMS ARISING FROM TÍME TO TIME.
HOWEVER, HE SAID HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY GENERAL PROBLEMS OF FINANCING THAT WERE NOT COVERED BY FEES, GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION AND THE AGENCIES' OTHER RESOURCES INCLUDING COMMUNITY CHEST ALLOCATIONS.
+WHAT IS NEEDED IS A RECONCILIATION OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT AVAILABLE TO THE ELDERLY, THE FEES WHICH VOLUNTARY AGENCIES SHOULD CHARGE AND THE AMOUNT OF SUBVENTION PAYABLE BY GOVERNMENT TOWARDS THE PROVISION OF SERVICES BY THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.
+GUIDELINES ON THESE RELATED MATTERS ARE NOW BEING FORMULATED AND I SHALL SHORTLY BE CONSULTING THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR ITS VIEWS, HE SAID.
SQUATTER FACTORY PAY-OUT INCREASED TO $10 MILLION
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS INCREASED TO NEARLY $10 MILLION THE AMOUNT OF ALLOWANCES IT IS PREPARED TO PAY THE OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF 22 TSUEN WAN NORTH SQUATTER FACTORIES WHO ARE REQUIRED TO VACATE LAND TO BE USED FOR DEVELOPMENT.
THIS FOLLOWS A DECISION TO INCREASE FURTHER, BY AN ARBITRARY 10 PER CENT, EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES PAYABLE TO OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF SQUATTER FACTORIES WHICH CANNOT BE RELOCATED IN HOUSING AUTHOR ITY FLATTED FACTORIES BECAUSE OF THE IR TRADE OR SIZE.
/THE.....