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The standard payment rates under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme and the rates of Old Age Allowance (OAA), Old Age Living Allowance (OALA), Disability Allowance (DA) and Guangdong (GD) Scheme under the Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme will be increased next month (February).
A spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said today (January 27), "Based on the established adjustment mechanism, i.e. according to the movement of the Social Security Assistance Index of Prices, the department earlier made a proposal to increase by 4.1 per cent the standard payment rates under the CSSA Scheme and the rates of OAA, DA and GD Scheme under the SSA Scheme. As regards the rate of OALA under the SSA Scheme, it was proposed to be increased by 3.8 per cent (see Annex I). The proposal was subsequently approved by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council and will take effect on February 1.
"An additional expenditure of $1,385 million per year will be incurred for the adjustment, benefiting some 1.1 million recipients currently on CSSA or SSA."
"The maximum rent allowance under the CSSA Scheme will also be adjusted upwards according to the movement of the Consumer Price Index (A) rent index for private housing by 6.5 per cent (see Annex II) on the same day," the spokesman said.
CSSA and SSA recipients who have enquiries may contact their respective social security field units or call the SWD hotline at 2343 2255.
Ends/Monday, January 27, 2014
Issued at HKT 11:01
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