ENG-1999 — Page 238

SOCIAL WELFARE

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Social Security

The Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme and the Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme form the mainstay of Hong Kong's social security system. They are supplemented by three accident compensation schemes: the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme, the Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme and Emergency Relief.

The CSSA Scheme is non-contributory but means-tested. It aims at providing cash assistance to people suffering from financial hardship to meet essential needs of livelihood. Applicants must satisfy the residence requirement. Employable CSSA applicants are expected to seek work actively by joining the Support for Self-reliance (SFS) Scheme. CSSA payments can be broadly classified into three categories: standard rates; supplements and special grants. Elderly CSSA recipients who have received CSSA continuously for three years are allowed to continue to receive their monthly standard rate and annual long-term supplement if they choose to retire to Guangdong Province.

Following the recommendations of the 1998 Review of the CSSA Scheme, the SFS Scheme was implemented in June. It has three components: an Active Employment Assistance programme, additional help by way of community work and incentive to work in the provision of disregarded earnings. It aims at encouraging and assisting unemployed CSSA recipients to regain employment and move towards self-reliance.

The amount of CSSA is determined by the applicant's resources and needs. The difference between the applicant's income and the recognised needs will be the amount of assistance payable.

At the end of the year, there were 230 681 CSSA cases, compared with 231 800 in 1998. Total expenditure during the year amounted to $14 billion, representing an increase of 26.4 per cent over the previous year.

The non-contributory SSA Scheme provides allowances to meet the special needs of the severely disabled and the elderly persons. There are four allowances:

Normal Disability Allowance for severely disabled persons with a certified 100 per cent loss of earning capacity.

Higher Disability Allowance for severely disabled persons who require constant attendance from others in their daily life but are not receiving such care in a government or subvented institution or medical residential institution under the Hospital Authority.

Normal Old Age Allowance-for persons aged 65 to 69 with income and assets not exceeding the prescribed levels.

Higher Old Age Allowance for persons aged 70 or above.

At the end of the year, 534 764 people were receiving social security allowances, compared with 526 200 at the end of 1998. Total expenditure during the year was $4.9 billion, representing an increase of 6.52 per cent over the previous year.

The Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme provides cash assistance to victims of crimes of violence and law enforcement acts, or their dependants in cases of death, on a non-means-tested basis.