Conditions for applying for comprehensive relief in Hong Kong

Community organization Children's Rights Concern Association

Letter to the Legislative Council on the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance System

Community organizations and children's rights concerns pointed out that the current comprehensive social security assistance system is in terms of application conditions and percentage

There are problems in the establishment and adjustment standards of this mechanism, which fail to effectively help those in need. 1999, the sar government reduced the comprehensive social security scheme.

Help families at the standard rate of 10-20%, cancel most special allowances, and further reduce the CSSA amount on the grounds of deflation11%.

And other subsidies, the poor have a hard life, and some political measures violate the purpose of CSSA, and they will strongly demand improvement.

The criteria for application conditions, quota determination and adjustment mechanism of the comprehensive social security assistance system. The existing problems and suggestions are as follows:

1. Application for former residence in Hong Kong 7 and residence in Hong Kong 1 violates the purpose of comprehensive rescue and emergency assistance and international human rights conventions.

Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) is a civilized society. As a social security system, any citizen with financial difficulties can get help, but

Since 2004, in addition to financial difficulties, the application conditions of CSSA policy must meet the requirements of living in Hong Kong for 7 years and living in Hong Kong before applying.

Please, this policy violates Articles 26 and 27 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Articles 9 and 10 of the Convention and Article 30 of the Basic Law indirectly deprive children of their rights, and new arrivals or foreigners return.

When Hong Kong permanent residents encounter difficulties, they cannot get proper assistance and fall into abject poverty, thus affecting the CSSA recipients in their families.

For example, some mothers have to take care of their children and find jobs, and rely on one child to receive comprehensive social security assistance. There are few children.

Learning and living resources.

Besides, according to the information of the Planning Department, there are more than 60,000 Hong Kong people living in the Mainland in Hong Kong, who regularly travel to and from Hong Kong for work, which is not counted as residence.

Once unemployed, Hong Kong people who have jobs will have to wait 309 days before they can apply for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA), which runs counter to the decision of the Social Welfare Department to provide assistance to individuals and families in need.

For the purpose of providing financial assistance, people who have no money can find jobs because they have no money. Although SWD emphasizes that it will exercise its discretion,

However, it often takes more than half of the appeal time to get approval, which seriously affects the life of help seekers.

2. 1999 and the reduction of CSSA in 2003 affected basic life.

1999, the social welfare department lowered the standard amount of comprehensive social security assistance for families from 10% to 20%, and cancelled the special

Allowances (including telephone charges, dental fillings, glasses, long-term allowance and relocation allowance) will be cut again on June 1 2003.

The reduced standard amount is 1 1. 1%, the rent allowance is 15.8%, the single parent allowance and student meal allowance are1.1%,and the study allowance is 7.7%.

These drastic cuts are not based on the needs of CSSA recipients, which seriously damages the basic quality of life of CSSA recipients and their families.

On the other hand, a family of four has been reduced by ***40. 1%, the standard amount is only $5,090, and a child is only $65,438+$0.275 per month.

Living expenses are far below the poverty line of 3 1.6%. According to the "CSSA Children's Living Conditions Research" conducted by the Association of Community Organizations in 2004

The survey shows that these children have fewer problems such as nutrition, and they simply have no financial ability to study or participate in extracurricular activities.

Social isolation, inferiority and other problems, myopia has no money to buy glasses, no money to move, no money to pay public housing, so it can not be improved

Living environment, reducing rent allowance, some CSSA recipients have to pay their own rent, and some have to live with their mothers.

1 Article 26, paragraph 2, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child:

"When providing welfare, we should consider the economic situation and environment of children and those who have the obligation to raise children as appropriate.

And other factors related to children applying for benefits on their behalf. Article 27 1. The State party recognizes that every child has the right to enjoy.

A standard of living sufficient to promote their physical, psychological, spiritual, moral and social development.

Take appropriate measures to help parents or other people who are responsible for the care of children realize this right, and provide material assistance and funding programs when necessary, especially

In nutrition, clothing and housing. "

Article 9 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights stipulates that "everyone has the right to social security, including social insurance". Article 10 stipulates: "The family is a society.

We should protect and help the natural basic group units of society as widely as possible, especially when they are responsible for raising and educating children.

Help! "

Article 30 of the Basic Law: "Hong Kong residents have the right to enjoy social welfare according to law."

2

Shortage helps make up for life and causes child labor problems. People and disabled people lack the resources to pay extra medical and nursing expenses. Basically,

The continuous reduction of CSSA has aggravated the problem of extreme poverty and seriously affected the basic life of CSSA recipients.

3. The price of social assistance means that the adjustment of CSSA standards can't reflect the real needs of CSSA recipients and can't help them get rid of poverty.

The Ministry of Social Welfare sets the adjustment standard of CSSA according to the social assistance price index, but the social assistance price index refers to the actual use of CSSA recipients.

The prices of various goods and services have changed, but this does not mean that the quality of life is satisfactory, especially for the beneficiaries of CSSA.

After the reduction, people's lives are tense and their lifestyles are distorted. The adjustment mechanism based on this will only affect the quality of life of CSSA recipients.

Deterioration can reflect the real needs of CSSA recipient countries. Basic meals are barely maintained, and children are in short supply.

With the development of resources, the unemployed lack employment support and there is no hope of getting rid of poverty.

Overall summary and suggestions:

Hong Kong is known as an international metropolis, but the gap between the rich and the poor is serious. In the past few years, despite the economic recession, the income of high-income groups has increased.

While the income of low-income groups is getting worse, the government ignores the employment problem at the grassroots level, and more and more grassroots people are caught in CSSA.

Net, it is natural to bring the word CSSA. CSSA is a civilized society, helping people with financial difficulties to solve their life problems.

The government should improve the basic living security and help families get rid of poverty, but the SAR government failed to do so.

The first level provides employment or family support, and then reduces the support for these helpless families. Therefore, children and

Without social development, in this rich and advanced city, children with government support have three meals a day.

It is a shame for Hong Kong to live in poverty in third world countries.

As an international metropolis, Hong Kong should take international human rights as the standard, fulfill its obligations under the Convention, improve its policies and help the poor.

Get rid of poverty. Our suggestions are as follows

3. 1 Cancel the condition VII of CSSA's application for residence in Hong Kong and apply for residence in Hong Kong before I.

The SWD should cancel the application conditions for residence in Hong Kong before applying for CSSA, as long as the applicant passes the income and assets.

Review and ensure that new immigrants and Hong Kong permanent residents who have difficulties receive appropriate assistance and equal social security rights.

3.2 Improve the level of CSSA and restore the amount of CSSA.

The current CSSA payment is far below the basic living standard, so it is necessary to review the criteria for determining the amount and use the existing social assistance index.

In order to adjust the mechanism, the authorities should re-establish the level of CSSA as the adjustment standard according to the level of social development and the needs of CSSA recipients.

We should also pay attention to helping the recipients get rid of poverty and avoid the disconnection between the living standards of CSSA recipients and society.

Improvements and inflation continue to occur. The government should resume the payment of CSSA to 65,438+0,999 as soon as possible, and reduce the payment of CSSA in 2003 to restore all features.

Other allowances (such as telephone bill, tooth filling, glasses, long-term allowance, relocation allowance, etc.). ) to reduce poverty.

3.3 provide basic amount for children of the same age in CSSA.

The basic amount of children is not adjusted according to the growth and learning needs of children of the same age.

Students of different ages and levels have different learning expenses and growth needs. Therefore, the SWD should target at recipients of the same age.

Adjust the basic amount according to the needs of children, or set aside the basic amount of children, such as milk powder, study and children.

Child allowance and other subsidies ensure that children from poor families get the most basic growth needs.

3.4 Chinese medicine subsidies should be provided to the elderly.

2006.2.28

Reference: http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr05-06/Chinese/panels/ws/ws _ cssa/papers/ws _ cssa0228cb2-1223-3c.pdf.