Launch of CCF one-off allowance for new arrivals from low-income families (with photo)

The following is issued on behalf of the Community Care Fund Secretariat:

     The Community Care Fund (CCF) today (September 21) announced the launch of the One-off Allowance for New Arrivals from Low-income Families Programme on September 27. The Programme aims to provide an allowance to eligible new arrivals to help them adapt in the community as soon as possible to better prepare themselves for permanent settlement in Hong Kong, and relieve their financial pressure. Each eligible person can get a $10,000 allowance. The Programme is administered by the CCF Task Force under the Commission on Poverty. The Task Force has engaged Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (BOCHK) as the Agent Bank responsible for accepting and carrying out initial checking of applications and disbursement of the allowance. The CCF Secretariat is providing administrative support to the Programme.

     Announcing the details at a media briefing today, the Chairperson of the CCF Task Force, Dr Law Chi-kwong, said that the CCF has set aside around $2,131.04 million to implement the programme. It is estimated that about 203 000 persons will benefit. 

     Beneficiaries should be aged 18 or above and have settled in Hong Kong for less than seven years as at March 31, 2021, and should come from low-income families, i.e. they have passed the family/household-based means-test establishing eligibility for assistance under one of the specified assistance schemes, including the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, Old Age Living Allowance, the Working Family Allowance Scheme, student financial assistance schemes and the Hospital Authority medical fee waiving mechanism, or their average monthly household income in the past three months does not exceed the specified income limit.

     The Programme will be open for application from September 27 to December 31. To spread out applications, applications will be accepted from eligible persons in phases. Details are as follows:
 

 
     Applicants, no matter whether they choose to receive the allowance by way of bank transfer or an order cheque, may submit online applications through the BOCHK website or make paper-form applications. Applicants should upload the duplicate copies of required documentary proof when making online applications. If applications are made in paper form, applicants should place the completed application forms together with the duplicate copies of documentary proof into the drop-in box of any of the 168 designated BOCHK branches in Hong Kong, or mail to GPO Box No. 9940.  
      
     The Agent Bank will check each of the applications and pass them to the Secretariat for vetting. The Secretariat will conduct data matching with relevant government departments in order to ascertain the eligibility of applicants. Furthermore, the Secretariat or the Agent Bank will randomly select some applications for comprehensive income assessment. Notifications of results will be issued to applicants after vetting and the allowance will be disbursed to eligible applicants. If applicants choose to receive the allowance through bank transfer, the allowance will be deposited into the bank accounts as specified in their applications through autopay. Applicants who choose to receive the allowance in the form of order cheques will be informed to collect the cheques in person at the chosen branch of BOCHK within the specified period.

     Application forms and guidance notes are available for download at the CCF website and distribution at BOCHK branches, Public Enquiry Service Centres of the Home Affairs Department in various districts, District Social Welfare Offices of the Social Welfare Department and the Support Service Centres for Ethnic Minorities starting from tomorrow (September 22).

     Applicants can submit applications, both online and paper form, from September 27 (Sunday) onwards. BOCHK will make a special arrangement to open 17 branches in different districts from 9am to 5pm on September 27 to assist applicants to submit applications.  
      
     For details of the Programmes, please visit the CCF website (www.communitycarefund.hk) or call the designated enquiry hotline of the Programme operated by BOCHK on 3988 1810.