3.10
A Disability Supplement within the Public Assistance scheme will benefit the partially disabled who are unable fully to support themselves, whether they are living alone or with their families. Apart from reduced earnings, such persons or their families may well incur extra expenses because of their disability. This additional supplement will therefore provide better support for them and their families than the normal Public Assistance payments for basic living. The supplement will be half the basic Public Assistance rate for a single person and will be added to the Public Assistance scale of allowances for anyone with a 50% or more loss of earning capacity as defined in the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance, or who is suffering from a mental or physical condition medically certified as being broadly equivalent. It will not, however, be paid to those who are already receiving an Old Age Supplement or a Special Needs Allowance since these payments are intended to cover similar needs.
3.11
The advantages of proceeding in this manner are: firstly, that help would be extended to those who most require it, that is, to Public Assistance recipients and to the profoundly deaf, thus reflecting the public's preference; secondly, it would avoid the administrative complexities of medical certification inherent in a chronic sickness allowance; and thirdly, there would be no need for a qualifying period of 18 months since anyone who met the proposed criteria would qualify for help immediately.
3.12
In addition to the proposed extension of the Disability Allowance to the profoundly deaf, other improvements have already been introduced. In April 1978, the scheme was extended to those in residential institutions who were previously ineligible. In October 1978, the qualifying age for Old Age Allowance was lowered from 75 to 70. These improvements had by 1st April 1979 brought in an additional caseload of 65,000.
3.13
One other group which has been mentioned in public comments for inclusion in the Special Needs Allowance scheme is the moderately mentally retarded. The Government accepts the Social Welfare Advisory Committee's view that there is not a sufficiently strong case to give this group a non-means-tested allowance. The moderately mentally retarded can respond to training and look after themselves, and improved training facilities for them are being implemented under the Rehabilitation Programme Plan. They can also qualify for an allowance under the existing rules if they require substantial help or constant attention from others to cope with daily life.
Social Security Appeal Board
3.14
A Social Security Appeal Board has been established to consider appeals against any decision under the Public Assistance scheme and the Special Needs Allowance scheme. The Board consists of a chairman and two members, all of whom are unofficials. It is primarily concerned either with questions of fact or with the exercise of discretion and its decisions relate only to individual appeals, that is, they do not constitute a precedent for other cases coming before either the Board or the Director of Social Welfare. The administrative procedures have been kept deliberately simple and informal and the Board meets as frequently as is necessary. The Government will establish additional boards if the workload warrants it.
Accident Compensation
3.15
Accident compensation has developed naturally from the efforts of the Government and the community to help those who have suffered from natural disasters. The Emergency Relief Fund came into being in this manner, though in recent years it has been largely funded by the Government. The Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme, also funded by the Government, is based on that part of the emergency relief scheme which provides compensation for loss of life, injury or disability. Together these two schemes provide an embryo accident compensation system, in which compensation is paid on a lump sum basis without any means-test.
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