XN000022-1993-06-30 — Page 25

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1993

993.

24

NEW SOCIAL SECURITY PACKAGE EFFECTIVE TOMORROW

A NEW SOCIAL SECURITY PACKAGE INCLUDING THE COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE (CSSA) SCHEME AND THE SOCIAL SECURITY ALLOWANCE (SSA) SCHEME WILL COME INTO EFFECT TOMORROW (THURSDAY) ΤΟ REPLACE THE EXISTING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (PA) SCHEME AND SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE (SNA) SCHEME.

A SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT TO IMPROVE THE EXISTING SYSTEM, THE BASIC RATE AND SUPPLEMENTS (EXCEPT FOR THE LONG-TERM SUPPLEMENT) UNDER THE PA SCHEME AND BENEFITS UNDER THE SNA SCHEME WOULD BE CONSOLIDATED INTO A STANDARD RATE FOR BACH CATEGORY OF PA RECIPIENTS UNDER THE NEW CSSA SCHEME.

OTHER SPECIAL GRANTS, LIKE RENT ALLOWANCE, DIETARY ALLOWANCE, ALLOWANCE FOR EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES AND SO ON WILL CONTINUE TO BE PAID TO MEET THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF INDIVIDUAL RECIPIENTS UNDER THE NEW CSSA SCHEME.

IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING FOR PA RECIPIENTS, THE STANDARD RATES UNDER THE NEW SCHEME WILL PROVIDE REAL INCREASES BETWEEN 4% AND 37% OVER THE LEVELS OF PAYMENTS UNDER THE EXISTING PA AND SNA SCHEME.

THE NEW STANDARD RATES FOR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF RECIPIENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

ELDERLY PERSON

DISABLED ADULT

STANDARD RATE

SINGLE PERSON

FAMILY MEMBER

{$ PER MONTH}

{$ PER MONTH)

1.550

1,285

50% DISABLED

1,550

1,285

100% DISABLED

1,935

1,675

REQUIRING CONSTANT

2,835

2,570

ATTENDANCE

DISABLED CHILD

50% DISABLED

1,770

1,510

100% DISABLED

2,160

1.895

REQUIRING CONSTANT

3,055

2,795

ATTENDANCE

/ABLE-BODIES ADULT