ENG-2005 — Page 245

Social Welfare | 203

targeted employment assistance to at least 10 500 employable CSSA recipients and near-CSSA recipients to help them move towards self-reliance.

The SSA Scheme

The non-contributory SSA Scheme provides the recipients and their families with allowances to cope with the special needs that may arise from severe disabilities and old age. The scheme comprises Normal Disability Allowance, Higher Disability Allowance, Normal Old Age Allowance and Higher Old Age Allowance. At year-end, 572 771 people were receiving SSA, compared with 566 446 in 2004. Total expenditure during the year was $5.31 billion, an increase of 1.3 per cent over the previous year.

With effect from October, the permissible limit of absence from Hong Kong under the SSA Scheme was relaxed from 180 days to 240 days a year to allow the recipients to spend more time outside Hong Kong.

Accident Compensation Schemes

The Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme offers. ex gratia payments on a non-means-tested basis to innocent victims injured in crimes. of violence or through the action of a law enforcement officer using a weapon in the execution of his duties, or the dependants of those who are killed in such circumstances. During the year, $10.58 million was paid out, compared to $11.67 million the previous year. The Traffic Accident Victims Assistance (TAVA) Scheme provides speedy financial assistance for people injured or for dependants of those killed in road accidents on a non-means-tested basis, regardless of the element of fault leading to the occurrence of the accident. During the year, $156.64 million was paid out, compared with $157.38 million in 2004.

Emergency Relief

Emergency relief in the form of cooked meals or cash grants in lieu of cooked meals and other relief articles is provided to the victims of natural and other disasters. Grants from the Emergency Relief Fund are paid to eligible victims (or to their dependants in cases of death). Emergency relief was given to 182 victims on 10 occasions during the year.

Social Security Appeal Board

The Social Security Appeal Board considers appeals against the SWD's decisions concerning CSSA, SSA and TAVA. It heard 203 appeals during the year.

Services for the Elderly

The basic principle underlying services for the elderly is to provide senior citizens. with a sense of security, a sense of belonging and a feeling of health and self-respect. The Government encourages and facilitates older people to lead an active and healthy life. For those who need long-term care but who wish to stay at home, there is a range of home-based and centre-based community care services. Older people who need long-term care but who cannot be adequately taken care of at home are provided with subsidised residential care services.