Welfare claimants face new checks

Beijing is launching a system that will check the financial status of people applying for the basic living allowance to make sure that they qualify.

The allowance is intended to help the needy, and the system will detect applicants who are sufficiently well off that they do not require it.

From July 25 those applying for the allowance will have to sign an agreement authorizing the Civil Affairs Department to carry out the checks, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

"The system can check how many houses Beijing residents have, how many vehicles they have and if they have registered companies," said Qi Yu, who is in charge of the initiative.

The basic living allowance is 650 yuan a month for urban residents and 560 yuan for those in rural districts. The allowance is paid to 165,500 people in Beijing, and 101,900 live in the urban area.

houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn