Help unwed mums, but stay pro-family

I applaud the Government for reviewing the benefits for unwed mothers ("Review of benefits for unwed mothers"; July 29).

I am sure being an unwed mother is tough, and this group should receive as much support as possible.

They should get the same amount of maternity leave to care for their children and should also receive at least half the baby bonuses to support them.

They should also be exempted from maid levies or be allowed to claim full expenses for the cheapest childcare centres available.

At the same time, I hope the Government will not overdo it,

as we should maintain a certain level of advantage for married mothers as part of our pro-family policies.

Unwed mothers should be given support, not perks.

These mothers should still be restricted to the age of 35 in the purchase of a Housing Board flat, as is the case with other singles.

However, we can give them support by allowing them to be eligible for Housing Board rental flats and giving them priority during application for these homes.

There should also be an income limit for any of the new measures, as only those who require support should receive it.

The measures should not be an entitlement.

Han Yongyuan

This article was first published on Aug 12, 2015.
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