ENG-1974 — Page 147

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SOCIAL WELFARE

than 100 such agencies and the majority of them are members of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (Appendix 42). Many of them receive financial aid in the form of recurrent subventions from the government. These have in recent years become the main source of income of the voluntary sector. The dwindling amounts of overseas aid to Hong Kong's agencies have made these organisations increasingly dependent on government assistance and local resources, such as charitable funds and donations. The Community Chest of Hong Kong, which was formed by more than 60 welfare organisations (Appendix 42), represents an effort by its member agencies to centralise local donation campaigns.

Reflecting the expansion of social welfare services, government expenditure on social welfare has increased tremendously. In the financial year 1973-4 staff salaries and overheads, direct welfare services, subvention and allocations from the Lotteries Fund totalled $146 million, an increase of about 70 per cent over the previous financial year.

Social Security

Social security has been accepted as a government responsibility, and is ad- ministered by the Social Welfare Department. In 1974 emphasis has been laid on consolidating the three schemes-the public assistance scheme, the disability and informity allowance scheme and the criminal and law enforcement injuries compensa- tion scheme.

Public assistance has continued to meet the essential needs of the poorest members of the community. It provides cash assistance to families and individuals whose income and resources are below a prescribed level. The scale of assistance was increased twice during the year to keep pace with rising prices. On January 1, the monthly level was raised from $120 to $145 for a single person with corresponding increases for eligible members of a family. On June 1, a further increase to $180 for the single person was approved and for eligible members of a family the level went up to $130 for each of the first three members, $105 for each of the next three and $80 for every additional member. To these scale rates could be added allowances for rent, school fees, special diets and other extra needs, which have also been revised.

At the end of 1974 the number of active public assistance cases totalled 40,267 compared with about 25,000 at the end of the previous year. This increase is due partly to the growth of population, partly to the growing awareness of the scheme, and to some extent to the higher levels of benefit. The amount expended on public assistance payments for the financial year 1973-4 was $45 million compared with $30.5 million in the previous financial year.

The disability and infirmity allowance scheme, which started in April 1973, provides non-means-tested and non-contributory cash benefits to two specially vulner- able groups of the community-the severely disabled, and the elderly infirm (those aged 75 and over) who are not looked after in a residential institution. The level of benefit for the severely disabled matches the public assistance rate for a single person, while the infirm receive half that rate. In line with public assistance the levels of the allowances were raised twice in 1974-on January 1, when they were increased from $120 to $145 and $60 to $72.50 for disability and infirmity allowances respectively,