ENG-2012 — Page 217

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Social Welfare

418,768 beneficiaries. The scheme's total expenditure in 2012 amounted to $19.63 billion, representing an increase of 3 per cent over the previous year.

Elderly people who have received CSSA continuously for at least one year are allowed under the Portable CSSA Scheme to continue receiving assistance in Guangdong or Fujian Province if they choose to retire there.

Employment Assistance Programmes

Various SWD programmes provide personalised employment assistance to help able-bodied unemployed CSSA recipients, single parents and child carers on CSSA find employment and become self-reliant. These programmes include:

Integrated Employment Assistance Scheme (IEAS) – provides ordinary and intensive employment assistance services to help unemployed able-bodied CSSA recipients aged between 15 and 59 secure full-time employment and become self-reliant. At year-end, 121,507 CSSA recipients had participated in the IEAS.

Special Training and Enhancement Programme (My STEP) - provides motivational and disciplinary training to help unemployed able-bodied CSSA youth aged between 15 and 29 return to the workforce. At year-end, 1,960 CSSA recipients had participated in My STEP.

New Dawn (ND) Project - helps single parents and child carers on CSSA, whose youngest child is aged between 12 and 14, move towards self-reliance through employment. At year-end, 26,162 CSSA recipients had participated in the ND Project.

The SSA Scheme

The non-contributory SSA Scheme provides elderly people and persons with severe disabilities. with cash allowances to meet their special needs. It currently comprises Normal OAA, Higher OAA, Normal DA and Higher DA. At year-end, 668,161 people were receiving SSA and the total expenditure in 2012 was $10.35 billion, representing an increase of 8.6 per cent over the previous year.

Accident Compensation Schemes

The CLEIC Scheme offers financial assistance on a non-means-tested basis to those injured (or to their dependants in the case of death) as a result of a crime of violence, or by a law enforcement officer using a weapon in the execution of his duty. In 2012, $4.86 million was paid out under the scheme. The TAVA Scheme, which paid out $188.5 million in 2012, provides financial assistance on a non-means-tested basis to people injured (or to their dependants in the case of death) in road traffic accidents regardless of who is responsible for the accident.

Emergency Relief

Emergency relief in the form of meals or cash-in-lieu of meals and other necessities is given to victims of natural or other disasters. Grants from the Emergency Relief Fund are paid to eligible victims or in the case of death to their dependants. Emergency relief was given to 503 victims of 14 disasters in 2012.

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