AIDE MEMOIRE
Hong Kong's Public Assistance Scheme
The scheme is the responsibility of the Social Welfare Department.
1.
2. It is designed to provide cash assistance for individuals and families who cannot manage on their existing resources.
3. The scheme is subject to annual review to verify the adequacy of the allowances. Improvements were effected, for example, on 1 April 1972 which included a 60% increase in the scales of assistance, higher allowances for rents and more generous allowances for those requiring a special diet. In April 172 the monthly scale of assistance was raised from HK$70 to HK$110 for a single person and equivalent increases approved for members of the family. Under the revised criteria the number of eligible cases stood at 17,728 at the end of 1972 compared with 12,553 the previous year. For the financial year 1972/73 expenditure on Public Assistance. payments was estimated at HK$30.4 mill. compared with HK$11.9 mill. in 1971–72.
4m
The Governor's Speech to Legislative Council on
16 October 1974 disclosed that two increases have been made this year on the rates of benefit under the Public Assistance Scheme and Disability and Infirmity Allowance Scheme which bring them up to 62% above the base rate of April 1972. Public Assistance is currently being paid to 30,000 households and Disability and Infirmity Allowance to 50,000 persons. the case of the former financial aid extends up to, HK$800 a month, depending on the applicant's circumstances. Cases are reviewed every 3 months.
In
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
13 December 1972
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