Launch of second round of CCF living subsidy for non-public housing and non-CSSA households (with photo)

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

     The Community Care Fund (CCF) today (December 29) announced the launch of the second round of the One-off Living Subsidy for Low-income Households Not Living in Public Housing and Not Receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) programme (the 2021 Programme) on January 4, 2021, to relieve financial pressure on low-income households. The Programme is administered by the CCF Secretariat, with 220 service units operated by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to accept and carry out initial processing of applications.

     Announcing the details at a media briefing today, the Chairperson of the CCF Task Force under the Commission on Poverty, Dr Law Chi-kwong, said that the CCF has set aside around $1,447.73 million, expecting to benefit about 137 150 households (or about 353 600 persons).

     The CCF ran the first round of the programme (the 2020 Programme) from July 2 to November 30 and received over 110 000 applications. The subsidy levels of the 2021 Programme and the 2020 Programme are the same. The respective amounts are $4,500 for one-person households, $9,000 for two-person households, $12,500 for three-person households, $14,500 for four-person households and $15,500 for five-or-more-person households.

     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 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 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 rent should not exceed the specified rent limits. The specified income and rent limits are as follows:
 

    
     Eligible households that benefited from the 2020 Programme (i.e. old applicant households) can also benefit. The Secretariat will, having regard to the household size of old applicant households and their priorities in receiving the subsidy under the 2020 Programme, send the notifications to them during January and May 2021 in phases. The arrangement is as follows:
 

    
     New applicant households are required to submit their application forms according to their household sizes in phases from January 4 to May 31, 2021. The arrangement is as follows:
 

     The application period of the 2021 Programme will last until May 31, 2021, so as to allow ample time for households to submit applications.           
 
     Old applicant households who still meet the eligibility criteria of the 2021 Programme should complete the reply slip with appendices (if appropriate) attached to the notification and return it to the service unit which assisted to process the application of the household concerned under the 2020 Programme or the Secretariat to confirm eligibility before the end of the application period. Upon verification of the eligibility, the Secretariat will send notification of the eligibility verification result to the applicant households. The Secretariat will arrange to disburse the subsidy to eligible households according to their chosen method under the 2020 Programme (i.e. either through bank transfer or by order cheque).

     If there are changes in the situation of old applicant households (such as there are new eligible members and/or changes of the specified applicant), they are still required to complete the reply slip and return it to the Secretariat. The Secretariat will forward these households' information to the relevant service units, which will contact the households to submit a specified application form (i.e. Form 1).

     New applicant households should submit application forms (i.e. Form 2) according to their household size. Application forms and programme briefs are obtainable from service units, 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, or can be downloaded from the CCF website (www.communitycarefund.hk) starting from January 4, 2021. If new applicants meet the eligibility criteria, they will be granted a one-off subsidy under the 2021 Programme only. The Secretariat will not entertain any request for receiving subsidy under the 2020 Programme in any circumstances.

     Applicant households should submit Form 1 or Form 2 together with copies of all the required documents to respective service units near their residences either in person or by post. 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. Owing to the latest developments of COVID-19, some service units may have suspended service or only provide limited non-emergency service. 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 for 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/means tests on selected applications. The Secretariat will issue notifications of results to applicants after vetting applications and disburse the subsidy to eligible households. If households choose to receive the subsidy through bank transfer, the subsidy will be deposited into the bank accounts as specified in their application forms through autopay. For households who choose to receive the subsidy in the form of order cheques, the service units concerned will inform them to collect the cheques in person at the service units before the specified period.

     For details of the 2021 Programme, please visit the CCF website or call the enquiry hotline of the Programme on 2180 6666.