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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1986
EMERGENCY PAYMENT RATES UP BY 6.8 PER CENT
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PAYMENT RATES FOR PERSONAL INJURIES AND DEATH UNDER THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND (ERF), WHICH PROVIDE CASH GRANTS TO PEOPLE IN NEED OF RELIEF AS A RESULT OF NATURAL OR OTHER DISASTERS, HAVE RECENTLY BEEN INCREASED BY AN AVERAGE OF 6.8 PER CENT,
THE REVISED RATES APPLY ALSO TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS ASSISTANCE (TAVA) SCHEME AND THE CRIMINAL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT INJURIES COMPENSATION (CLEIC) SCHEME AS THEIR SCHEDULE OF PAYMENT IS BASED ON THAT OF THE FUND.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT THE REVISION, WHICH CAME INTO EFFECT LAST MONTH, INDICATED AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE LEVEL OF PAYMENT BASED ON INCREASES IN WAGES AND PRICES.
DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF GRANTS UNDER THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND ARE AVAILABLE TO COVER DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY.
UNDER THE NEW RATES, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT FOR DEATH GRANTS INVOLVING THE LOSS OF SOLE WAGE-EARNERS HAS BEEN RAISED FROM $38 500 TO $42 450, COMPRISING $29 950 FOR ONE SURVIVING DEPENDENT FAMILY MEMBER AND $2 500 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL SURVIVING DEPENDENT FAMILY MEMBER.
FOR LOSS OF A WAGE-EARNER WHERE THERE ARE OTHER WAGE-EARNERS IN THE FAMILY, THE MAXIMUM GRANT HAS BEEN INCREASED FROM $24 900 TO $27 480,
IN THE CASE OF THE LOSS OF A HUSBAND OR WIFE WHO IS NOT A WAGE-EARNER IN A FAMILY WHERE THERE ARE SURVIVING CHILDREN, THE MAXIMUM GRANT HAS ALSO GONE UP FROM $24 900 TO $27 480.
THE MAXIMUM LEVEL OF DISABILITY GRANTS HAS BEEN RAISED FROM $32 640 TO $35 940. FOR INJURY GRANTS, THE NEW PAYMENT RATE IS $230 UP TO A MAXIMUM OF $9 970 DEPENDING ON THE GRAVITY OF THE INJURY. PREVIOUSLY, THE MAXIMUM WAS $9 590.
IN 1985, $3 MILLION WAS PAID OUT FROM THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND, $34.6 MILLION FROM THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS ASSISTANCE FUND, AND $5.2 MILLION FROM THE CRIMINAL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
INJURIES COMPENSATION SCHEME.
ALL THESE SCHEMES ARE ADMINISTERED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
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