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THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 1979
+THE DEPARTMENT MONITORS THE LEVELS OF THE NON-CONTRIBUTORY PA AND SNA BY REGULARLY REFERRING TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE INDEX OF PRICES, HE SAID.
THE MEANS-TESTED PA SCHEME PROVIDES MONTHLY CASH ASSISTANCE TO BRING THE INCOME OF A HOUSEHOLD IN NEED UP TO A LEVEL WHERE ESSENTIAL NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD AND CLOTHING CAN BE MET.
THE NON-MEANS TESTED OLD AGE OR DISABILITY ALLOWANCE PROVIDES A MONTHLY CASH GRANT. ON TOP OF ANY PA PAYMENT, AS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE FAMILY TO LOOK AFTER AN ELDERLY OR SEVERELY DISABLED MEMBER AND TO ENCOURAGE HIM TO REMAIN FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
THE NEW RATES OF PAYMENT WILL BE AS FOLLOWS (EXISTING RATES IN BRACKETS):
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
SINGLE PERSON LIVING ALONE
EACH OF FIRST THREE MEMBERS OF FAMILY
EACH OF SECOND THREE MEMBERS OF FAMILY
EACH ADDITIONAL FAMILY MEMBER
THEREAFTER
OLD AGE SUPPLEMENT (FOR ANY PA RECIPIENT AGED 60 AND ABOVE)
ANNUAL LONG-TERM SUPPLEMENT (FOR
THOSE RECEIVING PA FOR 12 MONTHS OR MORE)
A) FOR A SINGLE PERSON
B) FOR A FAMILY
SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCES
DISABILITY ALLOWANCE
OLD AGE ALLOWANCE
$230 ($200
$165 ($145
$140 ($120)
$105 ($ 90)
$115 ($100)
$290 ($250)
$575 ($500)
-
$230 ($200) $115 ($100)
AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE PA SCHEME CAN HELP A FAMILY IN NEED. THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE BASIC SCALE RATE FOR A FAMILY OF SIX INCLUDING A 61-YEAR-OLD GRANDMOTHER WOULD BE $1,030 A MONTH AT THE NEW LEVEL.
IT WOULD BE MADE UP OF $495 FOR THE FIRST THREE MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY AND $420 FOR THE NEXT THREE MEMBERS, PLUS $115 AS OLD AGE SUPPLEMENT FOR THE GRANDMOTHER, HE EXPLAINED.
IF THE FAMILY HAD RECEIVED PA FOR MORE THAN 12 MONTHS, IT WOULD BE ENTITLED TO A LONG-TERM SUPPLEMENT OF $575 A YEAR, HE ADDED.
IN ADDITION, HE SAID, THE COST OF ACCOMMODATION IS COVERED SEPARATELY BY A RENT ALLOWANCE, WHILE SPECIAL EXPENSES, SUCH AS FOR EDUCATION OR DIETARY NEEDS, ARE MET BY DISCRETIONARY PAYMENTS.
+ALL THESE ARE, OF COURSE, ADDITIONAL TO THE OLD AGE AND DISABILITY ALLOWANCES PAID TO ANY ELIGIBLE FAMILY MEMBER, + HE SAID.
AT PRESENT, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HANDLES ABOUT 46,700 PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CASES, 133,000 OLD AGE ALLOWANCE CASES AND 21,500 DISABILITY ALLOWANCE CASES.
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