TNAG-0608-FCO40-756-Planning-paper-on-progress-made-on-social-security-in-Hong-K-1977 — Page 139

/needs

-78--17-

to retain some part time carnings in addition to her public

assistance allowance. A further extension of the scheme to

include widows with young children is not therefore proposed.

Limitations of existing schemes

30.

As this memorandum has shown, so far social security

in Hong Kong has fallen into 3 categories -means-tested (the

public assistance scheme), non means-tested but needs-related

old age

(the disability and infirmity allowance scheme and the

accident compensation schemes) and employment

statutory and voluntary schemes).

31.

related (both

Each category is designed for a specific purpose,

but outside that purpose is of limited value.

But,

Where

a) The public assistance scheme is an effective

means of helping families with low income.

being a family means test, can only be used to

help families with low overall resources.

there is more than one wage earner (and 50.75%

of families, according to the 1976 By-Census

have more than one earning member), the public

assistance scheme is of limited value even though

the families are hardhit by having a wage earner

+

away from work due to sickness. If the public

assistance scheme were to be used, the scheme

would have to be radically altered to follow the

European system where dependants of working age

are not treated as family members. That would be

an expensive solution and would not be in keeping

with the family tradition in Hong Kong.

old age

b) The disability and infirmity allowance scheme

could of course be used. But this is a non-means

tested benefit. As such, it is acceptable so

long as it is/related. But there is a limit to