生活保護費 支給基準の適正化が必要だ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jan. 18, 2013)
Livelihood protection benefits should reflect change in income level
生活保護費　支給基準の適正化が必要だ（1月17日付・読売社説）

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry's Social Security Council has announced the results of a survey examining the nation's livelihood protection benefits.
　厚生労働省の社会保障審議会が、生活保護費の検証結果を公表した。

For some households receiving benefits, the amount of standard livelihood assistance--a program to offset food and other living expenses--exceeded the living expenses of the average low-income household, the council report showed.
　生活保護のうち、食費など生活費を賄う生活扶助の支給額が、一般の低所得世帯の生活費支出を上回る逆転現象が一部に起きていた。

Such inconsistencies stem from the drop in general wage levels under deflation. Following a cut in fiscal 2004, the amount of standard livelihood assistance has remained the same after factors such as the surge in oil prices in recent years have been accounted for.
　背景には、デフレ下で一般の賃金水準が低下したことがある。生活扶助の基準は、原油価格の高騰などを考慮し、２００４年度の引き下げ後は据え置かれてきた。

We believe it is necessary to modify the amount of livelihood protection benefits from the perspective of the public, which expects all citizens to be treated fairly by the government. A decrease in livelihood protection benefits to reflect the drop in income level is inevitable.
　国民の公平感を損なわないためにも、生活保護費の適正化は必要だ。所得水準の低下に応じ、保護費の引き下げはやむを得ない。

However, in the case of elderly households, the amount of standard livelihood assistance received was lower than the living expenses of low-income earners who did not qualify for livelihood protection benefits. Thus we believe it would not be appropriate to reduce the amount of livelihood protection benefits indiscriminately.
　ただし、高齢者世帯への支給額については、生活保護を受けていない低所得者の生活費より低いとの結果だった。一律に保護費を引き下げるべきではないだろう。

It must be taken into consideration that the basic amount of livelihood protection benefits is taken account when deciding the minimum wage and other widespread standards. Using cuts in livelihood protection benefits to justify keeping the minimum wage at a low level must be avoided. We urge the government to consider people who work hard without relying on welfare benefits.
　留意すべきなのは、生活保護の基準が最低賃金などに連動している点だ。生活保護費の引き下げが、最低賃金を低い水準にとどめる事態は避けねばならない。
　生活保護に頼ることなく、懸命に働いている人たちへの配慮が求められよう。

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Effective job support is key

Due to a prolonged recession, there has been a rapid increase in the number of recipients of livelihood protection benefits. Recent cases of working-age welfare recipients--a worrying trend--have drawn national attention. The government must keep in mind the importance of measures helping those suffering from economic hardships to eventually stand on their own.
　長引く不況で、生活保護の受給者は急増している。本来は働ける世代が生活保護を受けるようになる例が目立つのは問題である。経済的に困窮した人たちの自立を後押しする施策も重要だ。

The Social Security Council has drawn up measures to assist poor people with finding jobs.
　厚労省の審議会は、生活困窮者への就労支援策もまとめた。

The measures are aimed at those who do not currently receive welfare benefits but are at risk of becoming recipients in the future due to low income levels. The council deserves praise for setting measures to assist a group that had been relatively neglected by the government in the past.
　生活困窮者は、生活保護を受給していないものの、低所得で生活保護に追い込まれる可能性がある人たちだ。これまで行政の目が届きにくかったケースへの支援策を打ち出したことは評価できる。

A new measure known as "transitional job assistance" targets people unable to find work due to difficulties in building social relationships. The government will provide training through programs such as nursing assistance services, clean-up activities and recycling. The council sees such training as a stepping stone for participants to find stable jobs.
　新たな就労支援の一つが「中間的就労」だ。対人関係を築くのが苦手なために、すぐには就労できない人を対象とする。介護施設での介護補助や清掃、リサイクル活動への参加などで訓練を積み、本格的な就労につなげるという。

It is also important to expand the number of places where job training is available, which is currently limited to certain municipalities and facilities.
　現在は一部の自治体や施設に限定されている職業訓練の場を広げていくことも大切だ。

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Enrich housing support

It is vital to secure access to housing, as a considerable number of people have lost their homes after being fired from their workplaces, including being evicted from company dormitories.
　住居の確保は欠かせない。離職によって社員寮などから退去を余儀なくされ、住まいを失う人は少なくない。

Since 2009, a government measure has provided housing allowances to such people with a precondition of being engaged in job hunting, and more than half of the recipients have been able to find new jobs. While the housing allowance is a temporary measure, we believe it is worth making into a permanent program.
　求職活動を行うことを条件に家賃を補助する住宅手当が、臨時の予算措置として２００９年から導入された。この支給を受けた人の半数以上が再就職できた。手当を恒久制度化してはどうか。

When the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito agreed to form a coalition government, they stipulated in writing that the administration would promote employment support to recipients of livelihood protection benefits. We urge the government to steadily implement this pledge.
　自民、公明両党の連立政権合意では、生活保護受給者の就労支援を進めることも明記している。着実に進めてもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 17, 2013)
（2013年1月17日00時34分  読売新聞）