MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1992
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SOCIAL WELFARE EXPANSION PROGRAMMES TO GO AHEAD
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THE EXPANSION OF SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMMES ANNOUNCED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRIS TOPHER IN HIS FIRST POLICY ADDRESS LAST WEDNESDAY WILL BEGIN AS SOON AS FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR.
THIS WAS STATED TODAY WELFARE, MR MD CARTLAND, AT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS POLICY ADDRESS.
(MONDAY) BY THE DIRECTOR OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF SOCIAL SOCIAL WELFARE ISSUES COVERED
SOCIAL WELFARE IN THE
BY THE
"THE FUNDING OF SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMMES ANNOUNCED GOVERNOR WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE KEY TARGETS OF THE WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE FOR THE YEAR 1996-97, HE SAID.
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THE PROPOSALS ARE ACHIEVABLE AND AFFORDABLE, MR CARTLAND ADDED.
AT THE MEETING, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, PROFESSOR NELSON CHOW WING-SUN, COMMENTED ON THE PROPOSED SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM, A NEW SYSTEM TO REPLACE THE EXISTING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE SCHEMES.
THE NEW SYSTEM WILL CONSIST OF THE SECURITY ASSISTANCE SCHEME AND THE SOCIAL SCHEME, PROFESSOR CHOW EXPLAINED.
COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY ALLOWANCE
SOCIAL SECURITY
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE ASSISTANCE SCHEME AIMED AT HELPING PERSONS WHOSE INCOME FELL BELOW THE PRESCRIBED LEVELS.
BASIC RATES UNDER THE EXISTING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BETWEEN $600 A MONTH FOR AN INDIVIDUAL IN A FAMILY то $825 A FOR A SINGLE PERSON LIVING ALONE.
SCHEME
RANGE
MONTH
SCALE
UNDER THE NEW SCHEME, THE CURRENT SLIDING SCALE OF BASIC RATES OF $600, $610 AND $620 FOR FAMILY MEMBERS WILL BE REPLACED BY A FLAT RATE OF $820 A MONTH.
THE CURRENT RATE OF $825 A MONTH FOR A SINGLE ADULT WILL BE INCREASED BY 15 PER CENT TO $950 A MONTH.
AT PRESENT, AN ELDERLY PERSON RECEIVES $1,238 A MONTH IF LIVING ALONE, OR $1,023 A MONTH IF LIVING WITH A FAMILY. THESE RATES WILL BE INCREASED BY 15 PER CENT TO $1,420 AND $1,180 RESPECTIVELY.
FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, THE NEW RATES PLUS RENT AND OTHER ADDITIONAL GRANTS WOULD PROVIDE A MONTHLY INCOME OF $5,505, HE SAID.
ABSENCE FROM THE DAYS FOR SPECIAL SUSPENDED, WILL BE
THE CURRENT RULE, WHICH ALLOWS 45 DAYS TERRITORY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS AND 119 NEEDS ALLOWANCE RECIPIENTS BEFORE BENEFITS ARE CHANGED TO 180 DAYS FOR ALL ELDERLY AND DISABLED RECIPIENTS.
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