Reply of the Ministry of Civil Affairs to "Suggestions on Further Improving the Welfare Level of Disabled Persons"
Civil Letter [2019] No. 724
Representative Wei Zhen:
Your "Suggestions on Further Improving the Welfare Level for Disabled Persons" have been received. The suggestions reflect the practical problems and difficulties currently existing in the lives of disabled people and have important reference value for promoting the development of the cause of disabled people. We will study them carefully in future work. In consultation with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, the reply is as follows:
1. Regarding expanding the scope of two subsidies for disabled people and raising the subsidy standards
In September 2015, in order to solve the special living difficulties and long-term care difficulties of disabled people, the State Council issued the "Opinions on Comprehensively Establishing a Living Subsidy and Nursing Subsidy System for Severely Disabled Persons" (Guofa [2015] No. 52, hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions"), which stipulated that the living subsidy and nursing subsidy system for severely disabled people will be fully implemented from January 1, 2016. This is the first special welfare system for disabled people established at the national level, which is of great significance in improving and improving the quality of life of disabled people. After the issuance of the "Opinions", the Ministry of Civil Affairs, together with relevant departments, vigorously promoted its implementation, innovated and developed the system construction, steadily advanced the subsidy disbursement, rapidly increased the scale of benefits, and achieved significant social benefits. At present, the two subsidy systems have benefited more than 10 million disabled people with difficulties and more than 11 million severely disabled people, with annual disbursements of approximately 25 billion yuan. They have played an important role in ensuring the basic livelihood of disabled people, helping to win the battle against poverty, and promoting the construction of a comprehensive moderately prosperous society.
Regarding the suggestions mentioned in the proposal to expand the scope of subsidies, include severely disabled people from low-income families as required living subsidy recipients, increase the intensity of subsidies, raise the minimum national standards for the two subsidies, and further improve the living conditions of disabled people, we think it is reasonable. In recent years, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the China Disabled Persons' Federation have encouraged qualified regions to appropriately expand the scope of subsidies and raise subsidy standards. At present, Beijing, Tianjin, Liaoning, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Tibet, Shaanxi, Qinghai, Ningxia and other provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) have expanded living subsidy targets to disabled people without fixed income, registered poor households, marginal households with subsistence allowances, low-income families, severely disabled unemployed, multiple disabled persons in one household, elderly and disabled people, dependent elderly and disabled people and other disadvantaged groups. The subsidy standards of 12 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Fujian, Jiangxi, Shandong, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and Tibet have increased within two years (2018-2019). The Ministry of Finance believes that the central government supports local governments to reasonably determine the scope of the two subsidy objects and subsidy standards based on local realities, and promote the implementation of relevant work. However, due to differences in the economic development levels of various regions, it is not appropriate for the central government to make mandatory requirements on relevant matters for the time being. Instead, local governments should make overall plans and studies based on local financial conditions and in accordance with the principle of "giving timely help." Local governments at all levels and relevant departments should fully consider their own actual conditions, actively use policy initiative and flexibility, reasonably clarify and expand the scope of subsidies, strengthen supervision and inspection, and ensure that places with conditions strictly implement policies and regulations to expand the scope of subsidies and raise subsidy standards.
In the next step, our ministry will work with relevant departments to continue to strengthen guidance on the establishment of two subsidy systems for persons with disabilities in various regions, encourage qualified regions to introduce relevant policies, expand the coverage of subsidies, and at the same time study the establishment of a dynamic adjustment mechanism for the two subsidy standards for persons with disabilities to ensure that persons with disabilities truly receive benefits.
2. Regarding the introduction of relevant policies as soon as possible to allow disabled people to enjoy national benefits of early retirement
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security believes that the national pension insurance policy for enterprise employees, including disabled employees, is clear. According to the "Labor Insurance Regulations of the People's Republic of China" revised in 1953 and the "Notice of the State Council on Issuing the "Interim Measures of the State Council on the Placement of Elderly, Weak, Sick and Disabled Cadres" and the "Interim Measures of the State Council on the Retirement and Resignation of Workers" approved by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in 1978 (State Council [State Council] 1978〕104), enterprise employees shall retire at the age of 60 for men, 55 for female cadres, and 50 for female workers; at the same time, if they are disabled due to illness or non-duty work, and are certified by the hospital and confirmed by the labor appraisal committee to have completely lost the ability to work, the retirement age is 50 for men and 45 for women. The "Social Insurance Law of the People's Republic of China" promulgated in 2010 stipulates that when insured persons reach the statutory retirement age and have made cumulative contributions for 15 years, they will receive a basic pension on a monthly basis. Severely disabled people who participate in the basic employee pension insurance and meet the conditions for medical retirement can apply for medical retirement and receive basic pensions on a monthly basis.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security believes that my country’s basic pension insurance system for enterprise employees follows the principle of corresponding rights and obligations. The insured personnel fulfill their payment obligations while on the job. The longer the payment years and the higher the payment salary level, the higher the basic pension level will be when they retire. In addition, when the state adjusts the basic pension for retirees, the adjustment method takes into account the principles of fairness and incentives, and the adjustment level is linked to the payment years, basic pension level, etc. Early retirement has a greater impact on the level of pension benefits for insured persons after retirement. From the perspective of better protecting the basic life of retirees, it is not appropriate to open a new policy opening for early retirement. Considering that disabled employees are a special group, in order to effectively protect the rights and interests of disabled employees, the unit where disabled employees work should arrange suitable jobs for disabled employees, and improve the working environment and reduce the degree of physical harm to employees by improving working conditions, reducing labor intensity, strengthening labor protection and other measures. At the same time, measures such as adjusting working hours (such as implementing regular job rotations) can be used to protect their health. In the next step, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security will take into account the reform and development of the pension insurance system and the continuity of the policy, conduct in-depth research with relevant departments, continuously improve the policy, and effectively protect the pension insurance rights and interests of insured persons, including disabled employees.
Thank you for your concern and support for civil affairs work.
Ministry of Civil Affairs
July 30, 2019