Proposals to cut public assistance and special subsidies might not help reduce spending, a welfare group said.
To lessen the caseload, more tailor-made training programmes should be developed to help welfare recipients get back into the labour force, the Hong Kong Council of Social Service suggested.
The comment came after the Government proposed reducing Comprehensive Social Security Assistance payouts for families of three and above by between 10 and 20 per cent.
Wong Hung, a social studies lecturer and chairman of the council's committee on social security, said: 'We are angry and oppose the tightening of the standard rates.
'If people have no other way to turn but to public assistance, the caseload could not possibly go down. Only helping them return to work will achieve this result.' According to the review, each member of a family of three needs $1,450 a month, while everyone in a family of four requires $1,290 a month to cover basic needs.
The formula for calculating these sums is to be disclosed in the Legislative Council welfare services panel on Monday.