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The standard payment rates under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme and the rates of Old Age Allowance (OAA) and Disability Allowance (DA) under the Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme will be increased next month (February).
"The standard payment rates under the CSSA Scheme and the rates of OAA and DA under the SSA Scheme will be adjusted upwards according to the movement of the Social Security Assistance Index of Prices by 3.4% with effect from February 1, 2011 as approved by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council on December 17, 2010," a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said today (January 28).
"There are currently 1.1 million recipients under the two schemes and the Administration will make an additional allocation of $797 million per year for the adjustment."
Details of the revised rates are listed in Annex.
"On the same day, the annual permissible limit of absence from Hong Kong for recipients of OAA and DA under the SSA Scheme will be relaxed from the present 240 days to 305 days in each payment year, and the minimum residence period for entitlement to the above absence limit will be correspondingly reduced from 90 days to 60 days. If the recipient has resided in Hong Kong for not less than 60 days in the year, he will be eligible for a full-year allowance."
"The new arrangement will benefit all 630,000 elderly and persons with disabilities under SSA Scheme," the spokesman added.
CSSA and SSA recipients who have enquiries are advised to contact their respective social security field units or the SWD hotline at 2343 2255.
Ends/Friday, January 28, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:09
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