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The Social Welfare Department (SWD) announced today (September 29) that the monthly rate of the Community Living Supplement (CLS) under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme would be increased from $120 to $250 with effect from October 1, 2011.
In addition, the coverage of the CLS will also be extended on the same day to recipients with disabilities at non-severe level or in ill-health or elderly ones who are not living in institutions.
The CLS was originally payable to severely disabled recipients who are medically certified to be 100 per cent disabled or in need of constant attendance and who are not living in institutions to recognise the heavier expenses they may have to meet while living in the community.
The Financial Secretary announced in his Budget that the CLS would be increased and would be extended to cover all these CSSA recipients.
"This new measure further enhances assistance to persons with disabilities or in ill-health as well as elders. It underlines the Government's commitment to improving the well-being of the disadvantaged in the social security net," the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said.
The arrangement will benefit some 190 000 recipients. The additional recurrent expenditure is about $590 million per year.
For enquiries, please call the SWD's social security field units or its hotline at 2343 2255, or visit the SWD homepage at www.swd.gov.hk.
Ends/Thursday, September 29, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:27
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