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Author Archives: hksar gov

Social security recipients to get one-off extra payment this month

     A spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said today (June 12) that recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) as well as recipients of the Old Age Allowance (OAA) including the Guangdong (GD) Scheme and the Fujian (FJ) Scheme), the Old Age Living Allowance (OALA) and the Disability Allowance (DA) under the Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme, will receive a one-off extra payment this Friday (June 14).

     The spokesman said that the arrangement was one of a series of relief measures announced in the 2019-20 Budget. The SWD has been allocated $3.84 billion for implementing the arrangements and will credit the payment to the designated bank accounts of eligible recipients. Recipients who were eligible for the above social security payment on May 16 (the date of the passage of the Appropriation Bill 2019) will be eligible for the one-off extra payment without the need to make an application. 
 
     For CSSA recipients, the amount of the one-off extra payment is equivalent to one month’s standard rate payable to different categories of recipients under the CSSA Scheme. Recipients of OAA (including the GD Scheme and the FJ Scheme), OALA and DA will receive an additional one month’s allowance. The level of payment is as follows:

  Additional payment ($)
CSSA Scheme  
Category of recipients Single person Family member
Elderly person (Able-bodied/different degree of disability) 3,585 – 6,095 3,375 – 5,590
Adult (Able-bodied/different degree of disability) 2,525 – 6,095 1,810 – 5,590
Child (Able-bodied/different degree of disability) 3,035 – 6,535 2,015 – 6,035
     
Social Security Allowance Scheme    
OAA 1,385
Normal OALA 2,675
Higher OALA 3,585
Normal DA 1,770
Higher DA 3,540

     The measure will benefit about 1.32 million eligible persons including 330 000 CSSA recipients, 570 000 OALA recipients, 280 000 OAA (including GD Scheme and FJ Scheme) recipients and 150 000 DA recipients.
 
     For enquiries, recipients may call the SWD hotline at 2343 2255 or contact the respective Social Security Field Unit. read more

Auctions of personalised vehicle registration marks on July 6 and August 4

     The Transport Department (TD) today (June 12) announced that two auctions of personalised vehicle registration marks (PVRMs) will be held on July 6 (Saturday) and August 4 (Sunday) at Meeting Room N101, L1, and Meeting Room N201, L2, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai, respectively.

     “A total of 206 and 208 approved PVRMs will be put up for public auction. The lists of the marks were posted on the department’s website, www.td.gov.hk, today,” a department spokesman said.

     The reserve price of all these marks is $5,000. Applicants who have paid a deposit of $5,000 should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price). Otherwise, the PVRM concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.

     People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following important points:

(i) Paddle bidding will be used at this auction;

(ii) The display of a PVRM on a motor vehicle should be in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Schedule 4 of the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations;

(iii) Any change to the arrangement of letters, numerals and blank spaces of a PVRM, i.e. single and two rows as auctioned, will not be allowed;

(iv) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through the Easy Pay System (EPS), or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM immediately after the bidding of the PVRM concerned. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the memorandum will not be permitted. For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed; and

(v) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the PVRM to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the PVRM within 12 months, allocation of the PVRM will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.

     “Upon completion of the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM, the purchaser will be issued a receipt and a Certificate of Allocation of Personalised Registration Mark. The Certificate of Allocation will serve to prove the holdership of the PVRM. Potential buyers of vehicles bearing a PVRM should check the Certificate of Allocation with the sellers and pay attention to the details therein. For transfer of vehicle ownership, this certificate together with other required documents should be sent to the Transport Department for processing,” the spokesman said.

     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of PVRM, which is available at the department’s licensing offices or can be downloaded from its website, www.td.gov.hk. read more