XN000022-1978-03-17 — Page 3

*

- 2

-

FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 1978

DISREGARDED INCOME -- I WORKING OUT THE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE AGED OVER GO AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT REQUIRED TO REGISTER WITH THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE AS A CONDITION OF RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, THEIR FIRST 350 EARNINGS .ILL BE DISREGARDED ENTIRELY AND HALF OF THEIR NEXT $200 EARNINGS WILL ALSO BE DISREGARDED. THIS WILL ALLOW A MAXINUT TOTAL OF $150 IN DISREGARDED INCOME A MONTH. ANY EARNINGS AECVE $250 WILL BE TAKEN FULLY INTO ACCOUNT AS ASSESSABLE INCOME. FOR EXAMPLE, IF AN OLD PERSON TAKES UP A PART-TIME JOE AND EARMS 280 A MONTH, 150 IS DISREGARDED AND THE REMAINING #130 IS THEN CONSIDERED AS ASSESSABLE INCOME WHEN WORKING OUT THE AMOUNT OF PUELIC ASSISTANCE. IN CASES WHERE

ORE THAN ONE FAVILY MEMBER REPORTS MARGINAL EARNINGS, THEIR INCOMES WOULD BE POOLED TO DETERMIKE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF DISREGARDED INCOME.

-

EXTENSION OF THE WELFARE ALLOWANCE THE ALLOWANCE ..ILL NOW LE PAYABLE TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE 18 1STITUTIONAL CARE.

APPEAL ECARD

THIS ILL BE A ECARD CONSISTING OF UNCFFICIALS, COMPRISING & CHAIRMAN AND TWO OTHER MEMBERS TC CONSIDER APPEALS AGAINST DECISIONS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT ON APPLICATIONS MADE FOR HELP UNDER THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE OR THE ELFARE ALLOWANCE SCHEME. HEARINGS WILL DE INFORMAL AND CONDUCTED IN CHINESE, WITHOUT LEGAL REPRESENTATION.

EXPLAINING THE VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS, MR. LAW SAID THE OLD AGE SUPPLEMENT WAS DESIGNED TO HELP SEDY CLI PERSONS WHO WERE NOT YET ELIGILLE FOR THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE, FOR WHICH THE QUALIFYING AGE WAS NOW 75.

THE LONG-TERM SUPPLEVENT, HE SAID, AIMS AT MEETING MORE EFFECTIVELY THE HOUSEHOLD EEDS OF FAMILIES OR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE TO RELY ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR LONG PERIODS.

+AT PRESENT, IT IS DIFFICULT FOR THESE FAMILIES TO COPE WITH EXPENSES LIKE HOUSEHOLD REPLACEMENTS, AND A LUMP SUM EVERY YEAR WOULD EFFECTIVELY MEET SUCH NEEDS,+ HE SAID.

MR. LAW SAID THE QUALIFYING PERIOD OF 18 MONTHS FOR THE LONG-TERK SUPPLEMENT AS PROPOSED IN THE GREEN PAPER WOULD NOW BE REDUCED TO ONLY 12 MONTHS.

REFERRING TO THE 21SREGARDED INCCIE PROVISION, MR. LAW SAID IT WAS INTENDED AS A INCENTIVE TO ENCOURAGE SELF-HELP AMONG

AD THE NEEDY BY UNDERTAKING SCIE PART-TIME WORK.

+IT 13 CONSIDERED TO LE OF PARTICULA VALUE TO A WIDCH 4ITH YOUNG CHILDREN WHO WISHES TO INCREASE MER INCOME, DUT „HS 13 UNWILLING OR ULALLE TO GO CUT TC WORK FULL TIS.

+ IT WILL ALSO HELP AM ELDERLY PERSON WHO WOULD ECTH. LIKE AND BENEFIT FROM A PART-TIME JOE BUT WOULD NATURALLY EXPECT TO RETAIN SOME FINANCIAL RETUP" FROM HIS EFFORTS,+

HE SAID.

ENQUIRIES ON THESE INNOVATICKS CAN BE MADE FROM ANY SCCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S SOCIAL SECURITY FIELT UNIT.

13