Applications for CCF’s living subsidy for non-public housing and non-CSSA households to close at end of May

The following is issued on behalf of the Community Care Fund Secretariat:
 
     Applications for the Community Care Fund (CCF)'s "One-off Living Subsidy for Low-income Households Not Living in Public Housing and Not Receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA)" Programme (2021) will close on May 31 (Monday). Eligible households must submit their applications for the subsidy on or before the deadline.
 
     The Programme was launched on January 4 to relieve the financial pressure on low-income households. The amount of subsidy for one-person households, two-person households, three-person households, four-person households and five-or-more-person households are $4,500, $9,000, $12,500, $14,500 and $15,500 respectively.
 
     Beneficiaries should currently be renting accommodation on a monthly basis (or for longer tenures) in private housing, industrial buildings, commercial buildings or social housing operated by non-governmental organisations (NGOs); renting bedspaces offered under the Home Affairs Department's Singleton Hostel Programme or bedspaces in hostels operated by NGOs for rehabilitated offenders; residing in temporary housing; living on board vessels; or being homeless. Their monthly income must not exceed the specified limits. They should not be receiving CSSA or own any property in Hong Kong. For persons renting accommodation in private housing, industrial buildings, commercial buildings or social housing, their monthly rents should not exceed the specified rent limits. The specified income and rent limits are as follows:
 

     The Secretariat has sent notifications for confirming eligibility to eligible households who benefited from the first round of the Programme (the 2020 Programme) held during the period from July 2 to November 30, 2020 (i.e. old applicant households). Old applicant households who still meet the eligibility criteria of the 2021 Programme should complete the reply slips with appendices (if appropriate) attached to the notifications and return the completed slips to the service units that assisted to process the applications of the households concerned under the 2020 Programme or the Secretariat to confirm eligibility on or before May 31. Upon verification of eligibility, the Secretariat will send notifications of the eligibility verification results to the applicant households. The Secretariat will also arrange to disburse the subsidy to eligible households according to their chosen arrangements under the 2020 Programme (i.e. either through bank transfer or by order cheque).
 
     If there are changes in the circumstances of old applicant households (such as there are new eligible members and/or changes of the specified applicants), they are still required to complete the reply slips and return them to the Secretariat. The Secretariat will forward these households' information to the relevant service units, which will contact the households to submit applications via a specified form (i.e. Form 1).
 
     New applicant households should submit application forms (i.e. Form 2) together with copies of all the required documents to respective service units assisting in the implementation of the Programme near their places of residence either by post or in person. Households comprising solely elderly persons aged 60 or above, households comprising solely young persons aged 24 or below or the homeless can submit applications to elderly service units, youth service units or service units accepting applications from the homeless respectively by the deadline of May 31. Application forms and the programme brief can be downloaded from the CCF website (www.communitycarefund.hk). Owing to the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, some service units may have adjusted their operating hours. Applicants are advised to submit applications by post. Applicants who wish to submit applications to the service units in person are suggested to call the service units to enquire about the operating hours. Service units may require applicants to make bookings in advance. 
 
     The Secretariat and service units will vet each application, including verifying the eligibility, checking the supporting documents submitted, and conducting home visits/income tests on selected applications. The Secretariat will issue notifications of results to applicants after vetting applications and disburse the subsidy to eligible households through bank transfer or in the form of order cheques.
 
     For details about the 2021 Programme, please visit the CCF website (www.communitycarefund.hk). Enquiries can be addressed to the enquiry hotline of the Programme on 2180 6666 or the 220 service units assisting in the implementation of the Programme.