XN000022-1981-05-05 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, MAY 5, 1981

AT PRESENT, HE SAID, FOR THOSE LIVING IN PRIVATE HOUSING AND HAVING TO PAY RENTS HIGHER THAN THE ALLOWANCE LIMITS, THE DEPARTMENT AUTHORISES PAYMENT OF ACTUAL RENTS IF THEY ARE LONG-TERM RECIPIENTS ON THE WAITING LIST FOR COMPASSIONATE REHOUSING. THIS HAS RESULTED IN HARDSHIP FOR SOME PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS FALLING OUTSIDE THIS CATEGORY.

+THE MAXIMUM RENT ALLOWANCE THEREFORE NEEDS TO BE INCREASED TO ENSURE THAT THESE RECIPIENTS CAN MAINTAIN A BASIC STANDARD OF LIVING, HE SAID.

THE INCREASE FROM NEXT MONTH WILL BE BASED ON A NEW FORMULA WHICH FIXES THE MAXIMUM RENT ALLOWANCE AT 200 PER CENT OF THE HIGHEST PUBLIC HOUSING RENTS FOR A SINGLE PERSON, AND 150 PER CENT FOR A HOUSEHOLD OF MORE THAN ONE MEMBER.

MR LAW SAID THE MAXIMUM RENT ALLOWANCE WOULD BE REVISED WHEN PUBLIC HOUSING RENTS WERE ADJUSTED, AND THE DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE ADEQUACY OF THE ALLOWANCE LEVELS.

REFERRING TO THE RESIDENCE QUALIFICATION FOR ABLE-BODIED NEMPLOYED ADULTS APPLYING FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, HE SAID THE REDUCTION TO ONE YEAR WOULD BRING THE REQUIREMENT IN LINE WITH THAT FOR OTHER APPLICANTS.

HE STRESSED THAT ABLE-BODIED UNEMPLOYED APPLICANTS WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED TO REGISTER WITH THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT FOR UCES FIRST.

THE NEW BASIC MONTHLY RATES FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND ITS ASSOCIATED OLD-AGE AND DISABILITY ALLOWANCES ARE AS FOLLOWS (WITH THE EXISTING RATES IN BRACKETS):

PUELIC 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 PUBLIC ASSISTANCE

RECIPIENTS AGE 60 AND ABOVE)

DISABILITY SUPPLEMENT (FOR PARTIALLY DISABLED

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS)

ANNUAL LONG-TERM SUPPLEMENT (FOR THOSE ON

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR 12 MONTHS OR LONGER) (A) FOR A SINGLE PERSON

(B) FOR A FAMILY

SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCES

$350 $280)

$250 $200)

$215 ($170)

$165 ($130)

$175 ($140)

-

$175 ($140)

$440 ($355) $880 ($700)

DISABILITY ALLOWANCE

OLD-AGE ALLOWANCE

$350 (3280) $175 (140

THE NEW MAXIMUM LEVELS OF RENT ALLOWANCE ARE AS FOLLOWS (WITH THE EXISTING LIMITS IN BRACKETS):

AUMBER OF