综合一区欧美国产,99国产麻豆免费精品,九九精品黄色录像,亚洲激情青青草,久久亚洲熟妇熟,中文字幕av在线播放,国产一区二区卡,九九久久国产精品,久久精品视频免费

Old age allowance may reach HK$1,000 for the truly needy

Updated: 2008-10-16 07:34

By Peggy Chan(HK Edition)

  Print Mail Large Medium  Small

The chief executive proposed in his policy address to raise the Old Age Allowance to HK$1,000, but also ensure that the money is going to the truly needy.

"To solve the aging problem, we need a comprehensive strategy on the provision of financial support for the elderly," Tsang said, adding that the limited financial resources should be spent on those in genuine need.

The allowance may also eventually include a "means test", which would serve to exclude those who can support themselves.

A government source said the means test is required to lessen the government's financial burden.

At present, people between 65 and 69 who are single can receive an monthly allowance of HK$625 if their assets are less than HK$169,000. Married couples are eligible if their assets do not exceed HK$254,000.

Recipients over 70 can receive HK$705 a month.

By 2015, HK$4.4 billion is expected to be spent on the allowance if the current level is maintained. That amount would increase to HK$6.4 billion if every senior citizen is given a HK$1,000 allowance each month.

"However, the SAR government will never reduce resources allocated on taking care of the elderly," Tsang said at a press conference after the policy address. He also pledged that current allowance recipients would not be affected, and those who are financially self-sufficient would receive other forms of concessions.

The government is also considering relaxing the permissible limit of absence from Hong Kong for the allowance recipients. Yet details such as the application criteria and whether the current recipients can also get the raised level have not been discussed.

Tsang said the allowance review will be completed by the end of this year.

Qualifying for payment

The government's consideration of a means test is receiving plenty of criticism.

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong Chairman Tam Yiu-chung objected to the mechanism, saying it is disrespectful to senior citizens.

Some also said the original purpose of the allowance will vanish if a test is imposed.

Ken Chan, the service development chief officer of Hong Kong Council of Social Services, said the allowance is given out of respect to the elderly, and to help them.

Sammy Chiu, a professor of social work at Hong Kong Baptist University, also criticized the test.

"The mechanism will create a deterrent. As a result, a group of people may get nothing, as they are neither eligible to receive Comprehensive Social Security Assistance nor the (age allowance), as they want to avoid a means test," Chiu said.

He also said he thought the extension of the permissible limit of absence from Hong Kong wouldn't be helpful, as only a minority would need more than the currently permitted 240 days.

"This would be a group that resides in elderly homes on the mainland," he added.

Yet Chan welcomed the proposal, saying it still benefits some senior citizens.

(HK Edition 10/16/2008 page1)

保靖县| 靖州| 哈尔滨市| 普陀区| 绩溪县| 汕头市| 华容县| 固始县| 贵溪市| 泉州市| 平凉市| 金乡县| 贡山| 沐川县| 资溪县| 砚山县| 左云县| 库尔勒市| 台山市| 南充市| 萨嘎县| 晋中市| 九江市| 电白县| 迁安市| 大安市| 缙云县| 方正县| 大石桥市| 偃师市| 定日县| 云霄县| 赤峰市| 恭城| 双牌县| 高尔夫| 钟山县| 建宁县| 阳西县| 偏关县| 舒兰市|