XN000022-1989-02-28 — Page 7

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1989

ELIGIBILITY AGE FOR OLD AGE ALLOWANCE TO BE LOWERED

THE ELIGIBILITY AGE FOR OLD AGE ALLOWANCE (OAA) WILL BE FURTHER LOWERED TO COVER PERSONS AGED 67 EFFECTIVE FROM APRIL 1 THIS YEAR.

PERSONS AGED ANNOUNCED

THE FIRST STAGE OF A GRADUAL EXTENSION OF OAA TO

SEPTEMBER 65-69 WAS INTRODUCED LAST

WHEN THE GOVERNMENT THAT PERSONS AGED 68-69 WERE ELIGIBLE FOR THE ALLOWANCE.

PREVIOUSLY, THE ALLOWANCE WAS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR 70 AND ABOVE.

PERSONS AGED

FOLLOWING THE RECENT REVISION OF THE BASIC PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PERSONS RATES TO BE EFFECTIVE FROM APRIL 1, THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE FOR

THOSE AGED AGED 67-69 WILL BE $310 PER MONTH WHILE THE ALLOWANCE FOR 70 AND ABOVE WILL BE $355 PER MONTH.

TO 67, THE ELIGIBILITY

A SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT APART FROM LOWERING THE QUALIFYING AGE CRITERIA REMAIN UNCHANGED.

MUST HAVE RESIDED IN

ΤΟ FIVE YEARS

THE PRIOR

APPLICANT HE SAID THAT TO QUALIFY, AN HONG KONG

FOR CONTINUOUSLY

AT LEAST

QUALIFYING AGE.

"HE OR SHE IS ALSO EXPECTED TO MAKE A FINANCIAL DECLARATION UPON APPLYING FOR THE ALLOWANCE, HE ADDED.

A SINGLE PERSON WILL BE ENTITLED TO THE ALLOWANCE PROVIDED THAT HE/SHE THAT HIS/HER INCOME DOES NOT EXCEED $1,800 PER MONTH AND HAS ASSETS WORTH NOT MORE THAN $100,000.

FOR A MARRIED COUPLE, THEIR MONTHLY INCOME $3,000 AND ASSETS NOT MORE THAN $150,000.

SHOULD NOT EXCEED

PERSONAL JEWELLERY, A FAMILY CAR, SELF-OCCUPIED PROPERTY, CONTRIBUTIONS FROM RELATIVES AND FRIENDS, AND PAYMENTS FROM CHARITABLE FUNDS ARE DISREGARDED IN THE CALCULATION OF ASSETS.

THE

THE 67-AGE HE SAID THAT PROVISIONAL APPLICATIONS FOR OAA FROM GROUP WOULD BE ACCEPTED AT

DEPARTMENT'S SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNIT FROM TOMORROW (MARCH 1).

CENTRES

MESSAGE TO DRIVE HOME THE

OF THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS, SOCIAL WORKERS WILL PUBLICISE THE EXTENSION AMONG HOSTELS, HOMES AND FOR THE ELDERLY.

APPLICATIONS

IN

GROUPS CAN BE ARRANGED

WITH

THE

OFFICERS-IN-CHARGE OF THESE INSTITUTIONS.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS CAN ALSO APPLY INDIVIDUALLY.

THE SPOKESMAN