XN000022-1988-07-30 — Page 9

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1988

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OLD AGE ALLOWANCE FOR MORE ELDERLY DEOPUP

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EXTENDED TO COVER

THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE (OAA) SCHEME WILL BE THE 68 AND 69 AGE GROUPS STARTING FROM SEPTEMBER 1 THIS YEAR.

UNTIL NOW, THE ALLOWANCE HAS BEEN AVAILABLE ONLY TO PEOPLE AGED 70 AND ABOVE.

THIS EXTENSION IS PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION BY STAGES OF A SERIES OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM AS ANNOUNCED BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, AT THE OPENING OF THE 1987-88 SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE 68 AND 69 AGE GROUPS WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR $280 PER MONTH, WHICH WILL BE KNOWN AS NORMAL. OLD AGE ALLOWANCE (NOAA). THOSE AGED 70 AND ABOVE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING THE HIGHER OLD AGE ALLOWANCE (IOAA) OF $320 A MONTH.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TODAY I SATURDAY) ANNOUNCED THAT PROVISIONAL APPLICATIONS FOR NOAA WOULD BE ACCEPTED AT THE DEPARTMENT'S SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNITS FROM MONDAY (AUGUST 1).

AT THE SAME TIME, DISTRICT SOCIAL WORK OFFICERS WILL HELP PUBLICISE THE EXTENSION OF OAA AMONG HOSTELS, HOMES AND OTHER TYPES OF SOCIAL AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY WITHIN THEIR DISTRICTS.

LETTER

THEY WILL ALSO HELF DISTRIBUTE COPIES OF THE

TO POTENTIAL APPLICANT'S THROUGH LIAISON OFFICER-IN-CHARGE OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND CENTRES AND FOR GROUP APPLICATIONS WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

APPLICATION

WITH THE TO ARRANGE

IF THEY WISH. ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALLY.

APPLICANTS

CAN

ELECT

TO APPLY

"TO QUALIFY, THE APPLICANT MUST HAVE RESIDED IN HONG KONG CONTINUOUSLY FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO THE QUALIFYING AGE.

"THE PERSON IS ALSO EXPECTED TO MAKE A FINANCIAL DECLARATION UPON APPLYING FOR THE ALLOWANCE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

"

PROVIDED

SINGLE PERSONS WILL BE ENTITLED TO THE ALLOWANCE THEIR INCOME IS NOT MORE THAN $1,700 PER MONTH AND THEY HAVE ASSETS WORTH NOT MORE THAN $100,000.

THE LIMITS FOR A MARRIED COUPLE ARE A MONTHLY INCOME OF $2,800 AND ASSETS WORTH $150,000.

PERSONAL JEWELLERY, A FAMILY CAR, CONTRIBUTIONS FROM RELATIVES AND FRIENDS, AND BE DISREGARDED IN THE CALCULATION.

SELF-OCCUPIED PROPERTY,

CHARITABLE FUNDS WILL

/ON MAKING