ENG-2020 — Page 219

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Social Welfare

supplement. To help those unemployed and their families facing financial difficulties because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government temporarily doubled the asset limits under the CSSA Scheme for able-bodied persons for one year from 1 June.

The Portable CSSA Scheme allows elderly people who have obtained CSSA continuously for at least a year to continue receiving it in Guangdong or Fujian province if they retire there.

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 eligible elderly people who choose to live in Guangdong or Fujian respectively. From 1 January, eligible elderly people may also receive the OALA while living in the two provinces.

The SSA Scheme recorded 1,036,221 recipients as at 31 December. Total expenditure was about $39.8 billion in 2020, a 17 per cent increase from 2019.

Relief Measures

In accordance with the 2020-21 Budget, the government provided one additional month's standard-rate payment to CSSA recipients and one additional month's allowance to recipients of SSA and the Individual-based Work Incentive Transport Subsidy Scheme.

To support low-income households during the COVID-19 pandemic, a special allowance was given under the Anti-epidemic Fund to eligible recipients of Working Family Allowance and student financial assistance, benefitting about 200,000 households, involving $900 million.

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 $7.67 million in 2020.

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 $374.1 million in 2020.

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 86 victims of eight disasters in 2020.

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