The Government announced today (November 20) that, after the funding approval by the Legislative Council Finance Committee (FC), the Working Family Allowance Office (WFAO) of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency will disburse a one-off extra allowance to recipients of Working Family Allowance (WFA) and Individual-based Work Incentive Transport Subsidy (I-WITS). This is part of the series of measures to support enterprises, safeguard jobs and relieve people's burden announced by the Financial Secretary on August 15.
Recipients eligible for the extra allowance are those whose WFA/I-WITS applications were made in the Applicable Period and eventually approved. The Applicable Period counts from the first day of the month in which the FC approves the funding proposal to the date when funding approval is sought, and the six calendar months preceding that month. For applications submitted by post, the date of the post-stamp will be taken as the application date.
New applicants or previous recipients of WFA/I-WITS who have yet to submit applications in the Applicable Period should submit applications before the Applicable Period expires (i.e. the date when the FC approves the relevant funding proposal) in order to be eligible for the extra allowance.
The extra allowance is equal to the average monthly amount of approved months payable to the corresponding recipients in their most recently submitted (and eventually approved) applications in the Applicable Period. The amount varies from case to case.
In addition, if a WFA household is receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) on the date when the FC's funding approval is sought; or an applicant and household members whose working hours have been aggregated for WFA applications submitted an I-WITS application during the Applicable Period (and is eventually approved), that household is only eligible for one single extra allowance, the amount of which is the highest the household is eligible to receive under the WFA, CSSA or I-WITS Scheme. Non-WFA applicants and household members whose working hours have not been aggregated for WFA applications are not subject to the above arrangement.
For enquiries, applicants may call the WFAO 24-hour hotline (2558 3000) or visit the WFAO's enquiry counters at 9/F, 181 Hoi Bun Road, Kwun Tong, or visit the website of the WFAO (www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/wfao).
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