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Social Welfare

Social Security Allowance

The non-contributory SSA Scheme comprises Old Age Allowance (OAA); Disability Allowance (DA), consisting of Normal DA and Higher DA; Old Age Living Allowance (OALA), consisting of Normal OALA and Higher OALA; the Guangdong Scheme and the Fujian Scheme.

The OAA and DA provide non-means-tested cash allowances to elderly people aged 70 or above and people with severe disabilities respectively. The OALA supplements the living expenses of elderly people aged 65 or above who have financial needs. The Guangdong and Fujian schemes provide monthly OAA to elderly people aged 65 or above who choose to live in Guangdong or Fujian respectively. In this connection, the Fujian Scheme and the Higher OALA were launched on 1 April and 1 June respectively. In October, the government announced extending the OALA to both provinces, to be implemented in early 2020 at the earliest.

The scheme recorded 946,406 SSA recipients as at end-2018. Total expenditure was about $37.2 billion during the year, a 60.4 per cent increase over 2017.

Relief Measure

In June, the government provided two additional months' standard-rate payment to CSSA recipients and two additional months' allowance to recipients of SSA, LIFA/WFA and the Work Incentive Transport Subsidy Scheme. Arising from the implementation of the Caring and Sharing Scheme, CSSA and SSA recipients also received a one-off top-up payment of less than $4,000, the maximum amount disbursed under the scheme, to make up the difference. Separately, students on CSSA also received a one-off grant of $2,000.

Accident Compensation

The non-means-tested Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme offers financial help 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 $5.89 million in 2018.

The non-means-tested Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme provides financial assistance to people injured in road traffic accidents or to their dependants in the case of death, regardless of who is responsible for the accident. It paid out $262.5 million during the year.

Emergency Relief

Meals or cash in lieu of meals and other necessities are 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 1,208 victims of 28 disasters in 2018.

Social Security Appeal Board

The board considers appeals against the department's decisions on CSSA, SSA and Traffic Accident Victims Assistance. It ruled on 333 appeals in 2018.

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