Page 131 - 2024 Taiwan Health and Welfare Report

10 ｜ Social Assistance and Social Work

Chapter 1 Social Assistance The current subsidies provided by various local
We always follow the principle of "providing governments for low-income households include
care actively, respecting needs, and enabling self- family subsidy, school subsidy, and children subsidy.
sufficiency" in social assistance business. Various According to Article 12 of the Public Assistance Act,
measures are taken, laws and regulations are reviewed competent authorities should increase the original
at regular intervals, and unemployment benefits cash amount received by members of low-income
and the welfare service system of social work are households who are elderly, pregnant for three months
considered, so as to guarantee that people in need or longer, or disabled by no more than 40%. In order
can get appropriate assistance. to avoid providing too much financial assistance,
which could influence the willingness to work, Article
Section 1 Living Support 8 of the Public Assistance Act states that the monthly
Life assistance for low-income households assistance amount received by every person according
means providing persistent financial assistance for to this law or other laws should not exceed the basic
families whose monthly income per person is below wage declared by the government. The major items of
the minimum living expenditure and whose properties life assistance for low-income households handled by
do not exceed the annual amount announced by the government in 2023 are shown in Table 10-2.
the central government or competent authorities of Besides making cash payments, various local
municipalities. The 2015 amendment to the "Public governments should provide additional benefits,
Assistance Act" stipulates that the living assistance for including nutritional supplements to pregnant women
low-income families is adjusted every four years based (including nutrition subsidies for single mothers
on the growth in consumer price index (CPI) to protect with newborns), birth allowance, priority of living in
the rights and interests of vulnerable people. Table social housing, subsidy for residential rent, subsidy
10-1 shows the minimum cost of living in each special for simple residence repair cost and loan interest
municipality, Taiwan Province in the last five years. subsidy for purchased or self-built residences, subsidy

Minimum Cost of Living of Each Special Municipality, County, and City in the
Table 10-1
Last 6 Years
New Taiwan Dollar
Region New Fujian Province
Taiwan Taipei Kaohsiung Taichung Tainan Taoyuan
Year Taipei Kinmen Lienchiang
2019 12,388 16,580 13,099 14,666 13,813 12,388 14,578 11,135
2020 12,388 17,005 13,099 15,500 14,596 12,388 15,281 11,648
2021 13,288 17,668 13,341 15,600 14,596 13,304 15,281 12,102
2022 14,230 18,682 14,419 15,800 15,472 14,230 15,281 12,792
2023 14,230 19,013 14,419 16,000 15,472 14,230 15,977 13,103
2024 14,230 19,649 14,419 16,400 15,518 14,230 15,977 13,653
Source: Department of Social Assistance and Social Work, Ministry of Health and Welfare, R.O.C.(Taiwan)

Table 10-2 Key Living Support Measures Provided to Low-Income Households, 2023

Subsidy Item No. of Subsidies Total Subsidy Amount (NTD)
Family Living Support (including
Child Living Support) 833,386 5,405,845,635
Student Living Support 418,714 2,662,051,287

Workfare Programs 29,170 601,388,447
Holiday Bonus 253,400 167,396,061
Source: Department of Social Assistance and Social Work, Ministry of Health and Welfare, R.O.C.(Taiwan)

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