ENG-2015 — Page 212

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Social Welfare

Employment Assistance Programmes

The department's Integrated Employment Assistance Programme for Self-reliance helps able- bodied unemployed CSSA recipients aged 15 to 59 and single parents and child carers on CSSA with their youngest child aged 12 to 14 to find employment and become self-reliant. At the year end, 63,881 CSSA recipients had taken part in the programme. The Community Care Fund continues to implement, on a pilot basis, an 'Incentive Scheme to Further Encourage CSSA Recipients of the Integrated Employment Assistance Programme for Self-reliance to Secure Employment' until March 2017.

The SSA Scheme

The non-contributory SSA scheme comprises Old Age Living Allowance (OALA), Old Age Allowance (OAA) and Disability Allowance (DA), which includes Normal DA and Higher DA. OALA supplements the living expenses of people aged 65 or above who need financial support. OAA and DA provide elderly people and persons with severe disabilities respectively with non-means-tested cash allowances to meet their special needs. At the year end, 802,200 people were receiving SSA, with total expenditure in 2015 of $21.4 billion, representing an increase of 15.7 per cent over 2014.

An Inter-departmental Working Group on Review of the Disability Allowance, set up by the Labour and Welfare Bureau, has completed its review of the eligibility criteria for DA and has put forward a number of recommendations. The government will implement its recommendations in 2016.

Relief Measure

In July 2015, the department provided two additional months' standard rate payment for recipients of CSSA and two additional months' allowance for recipients of OALA, OAA and DA to allay their burdens.

Accident Compensation Schemes

The CLEIC scheme offers financial help 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. It paid out $5 million in 2015. The TAVA scheme 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. It paid out $229.7 million during the year.

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 231 victims of 16 disasters in 2015.

Social Security Appeal Board

The board considers appeals against SWD decisions on CSSA, SSA and TAVA. It ruled on 354 appeals in 2015.

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