The Government today (May 31) announced that, as proposed in the 2022-23 Budget, a one-off extra allowance, equal to a half-month of the standard rate of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance payments, Old Age Allowance, Old Age Living Allowance or Disability Allowance, would be provided to eligible recipients of social security payments. Similar arrangements will apply to recipients of Working Family Allowance (WFA). The above recipients will receive the extra allowance starting from today (details in the Annex).
A Government spokesman said that recipients who were eligible for social security payments on May 4, 2022 (the date the Legislative Council approved the Appropriation Bill 2022), and those whose WFA applications were made in the period from November 1, 2021, to May 4, 2022, and eventually approved, would be eligible for the one-off extra allowance. It is estimated that about 1.48 million social security recipients and 72 000 WFA households would benefit from the arrangements, involving a total of over $2.5 billion. The payment will be credited to the designated Hong Kong bank accounts of the eligible households/recipients and no separate application is necessary.
For enquiries, recipients of social security payments may call the hotline (2343 2255) of the Social Welfare Department or contact the respective Social Security Field Unit. As for enquiries on the WFA Scheme, please call the hotline (2558 3000) of the Working Family Allowance Office of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency or visit its website (wfa.gov.hk).
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