Assets check required for Govt welfare

BEIJING - A new regulation will deny welfare subsidies to residents who own assets that require a certain level of income to buy, such as vehicles or real estate.

Under the new rules, which will take effect in June, civil affairs authorities will not only test applicants' family incomes but also factor in the value of their assets to see if they are eligible to receive benefits.

Currently, in an urban Beijing household where each family member's average monthly income is less than 520 yuan ($82), the minimum income standard set by the government for urban households, each member can get a subsidy to make up the difference between the individual's income and the standard. The threshold for rural households is 380 yuan.