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In response to press enquiries about a High Court judgment on a case on Disability Allowance (DA) today (September 20), the Social Welfare Department (SWD) issued the following statement.
"The SWD welcomes the High Court judgment and will continue to, in accordance with the prevailing policy on DA, provide eligible persons with severe disability with the allowance to cater for their special needs.
"Hong Kong is a loving and caring society with a comprehensive social security system. Supportive schemes under this system such as the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme and the Social Security Allowance Scheme, each with its designated purposes and beneficiaries, serve to meet the needs of different members of society.
"DA is a kind of non-means-tested welfare benefit catering for the special needs of persons with severe disability (regardless of their employment status and income). It is neither a compensation for loss suffered by a recipient nor an income supplement provided based on a recipient's financial situation. Thus the main application criterion for DA is that an applicant has to be certified in an objective and professional medical assessment as being severely disabled.
"The SWD set up an inter-departmental working group in late 2009 to follow up The Ombudsman's recommendations on the implementation details of the DA scheme. The working group endeavours to complete the review as soon as possible."
Ends/Monday, September 20, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:12
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