According to a sample survey, the annual disposable income among local urban residents reached 43,851 yuan per capita in 2013, up 9.1% from the previous year. With purchasing parity considered, the income growth stood at 6.6% in real terms. The annual disposable income of rural residents reached 19,208 yuan per capita, up 10.4% and 7.9% in real terms.

 

A sample survey revealed that in 2013, the annual expenditure per capita on consumer goods and service reached 28,155 yuan among urban residents, up 7.2% from the previous year. The per capita consumption spending for rural residents reached 13,425 yuan, up 11%.

 

The per capita living space for urban residents reached 17.5 square meters at the end of 2013, 0.2 square meters more than that of 2012. In 2013, Shanghai completed 40 facilitating projects to large-scale residential communities. Old houses totaling 746,000 square meters were pulled down in the year.

 

Meanwhile, Shanghai further completed its affordable housing system, with more beneficiaries covered in different schemes. The city had built or renovated altogether 110,000 government-subsidized apartments in the year, totaling 7.85 million square meters. A total of 103,000 government-subsidized affordable apartments, about 7.83 million square meters in total, were provided to locals in the year.

 

Shanghai continues to perfect its social security systems. By the end of 2013, 13.4298 million people had been covered by the urban pension insurance program for employees and retirees, 715,200 joined rural pension insurance program and another 84,700 people joined the social pension insurance for urban residents (non-employed). Altogether 13.255 million people joined the medical insurance network for urban employees and retirees, another 2.564 million for urban resident (non-employed) and college student medical insurance.

 

The city raised social security levels. Shanghai’s minimum wage was raised from 570 yuan per month in 2003 to 1,620 yuan in 2013. The minimum living standard allowance was raised to 640 yuan per month for urban residents and 6,000 yuan a year for rural residents, compared to 300 yuan and 2,340 yuan respectively in 2005. In the year, government expenditure for minimum living allowance reached 1.288 billion yuan for urabn residents and 127 million yuan for rural residents.

 

By the end of 2013, the city had a total of 637 seniors’ homes, providing 112,000 beds for 75,000 senior citizens.

 

Besides, the city continues to make it friendlier to the disabled. In 2013, a total of 241 charitable businesses started operation, offering jobs to 765 disabled people.