The Government announced today (January 23) a series of measures under the Caring and Sharing Scheme (the Scheme) to make it more convenient for eligible persons to submit applications.
In view of the public demand, an additional one million Chinese application forms are being made available in batches from today until next Monday (January 28) for collection by members of the public at the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of the Home Affairs Department, the Working Family Allowance Office and the Student Finance Office of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency. Application forms can also be downloaded from the website of the Scheme (css.gov.hk).
To facilitate public enquiries about details of the Scheme, the 24-hour telephone hotline 3897 1088 has also been increased from 28 lines to 34 lines.
Given certain public concerns about the practical difficulties in providing address proof, and that applicants declare in the application form their understanding that the wilfull making of a false statement, misrepresentation or concealment of any information in order to obtain the amount by deception is a criminal offence, the Government has decided not to require applicants to provide their address proof so as to enhance convenience in the submission of applications.
The Government will also adopt a lenient approach in handling applications sent by mail with insufficient postage to ensure that they can be processed.
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