TNAG-0608-FCO40-756-Planning-paper-on-progress-made-on-social-security-in-Hong-K-1977 — Page 134

the cost of living slowed down after June 1974,

so that the assumed figure has not yet been

exceeded.

Accordingly, there is no need to

increase the scale of allowances at present.

But

the scale will continue to be regularly reviewed.

b) Disregarded resources. The UMELCO Office have

suggested that the amounts of disregarded

resources (particularly the disregard of $10 per

family member from a voluntary agency for household

needs) should be increased as they have been

unchanged since 1971. It is accented that the

amounts will have to be reviewed at some stage;

but it seems better to leave any review until the

scale of allowances is itself being reviewed. By

definition, increasing the disregards does not

help those who are worst off those without any

disregarded resources and it would be regarded

-

as unfair to increase disregards but not the scale

of allowances. The UMELCO Office also favoured

increasing the number of disregards, mentioning

in particular workmen's compensation. But, for

the reason set out earlier (para. 18), any increase

in the number of disregards should only be made

for compelling reasons; and it is not proposed

that there should be any alteration apart from

the introduction of the earnings disregard.

c) Rent rebate allowance. There has been some recent

public discussion abcut the rent levels in new

public housing. A possible way of providing help

would be to modify the rublic assistance scheme st

that it provided help in such cases although the

family income was above public assistance levels

But the effect would be to discriminate in lavo