​The Social Welfare Department (SWD) today (September 1) launched a new tranche of the Scheme on Living Allowance for Carers of Elderly Persons from Low-income Families and the Scheme on Living Allowance for Low-income Carers of Persons with Disabilities (the carer allowance schemes).
The SWD will issue letters to the relevant elderly persons/persons with disabilities in batches for inviting their eligible carers to submit applications. For those elderly persons/persons with disabilities who received the invitation letters last year, their carers may also apply. Applicants should complete the application form and return it together with supporting documents to the Carer Allowances and Subsidies Team (CAST) of the SWD (Address: Room 404, 4th floor, Lady Trench Training Centre, 44 Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong). The SWD will inform applicants of the results upon completion of the assessment.
Besides the two carer allowance schemes, the Special Care Subsidy Scheme for Persons with Severe Disabilities and the Scheme on Providing Subsidy for Higher Disability Allowance Recipients in Paid Employment to Hire Carers were also regularised last year, which aims to provide carers of elderly persons/persons with disabilities from low-income families or persons with disabilities with a living allowance to help supplement their living expenses as well as to assist elderly persons/persons with disabilities in need of long-term care to receive better care and remain in the community with the help of their carers.
At the same time, the SWD has updated the monthly household income limits for the two carer allowance schemes and the Special Care Subsidy Scheme for Persons with Severe Disabilities, as well as the monthly employment income limits for the Scheme on Providing Subsidy for Higher Disability Allowance Recipients in Paid Employment to Hire Carers. The updated income limits will take effect from today, which are applicable to existing recipients and new applicants.
For details of the schemes, please visit the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/svcdesk/funds), or contact the CAST (tel: 3468 5635 or 3468 5636; fax: 3468 5648; email: castenq@swd.gov.hk) during office hours.
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