My TakeAged lose out in welfare payment fine print
- A new supplement gave the impression that those aged between 60 and 64 would not lose money due to the increased minimum age for the elderly welfare payment
- Yet one in three new applicants could lose up to 14 types of subsidies which could potentially amount to a few thousand dollars per month
Our labour and welfare secretary is smarter than he looks, but that just makes him meaner. You would think being one of the original Democrats and a long-time social work professor would make Law Chi-kwong more compassionate towards the grass roots. It turns out he fits right in the government bureaucracy and its money-pinching ways, at least when it comes to a welfare payment to the old and unprivileged.
After creating a new supplement of HK$1,060 a month for new applicants aged between 60 and 64 to make up for losses due to a policy change, Law gave the impression that he was willing to change course to placate public anger.
It turns out he is keeping the new age requirement for the elderly welfare payment, which has been raised from 60 to 65, for good reason. The new age means you are only “elderly” when you reach 65, not 60. This means getting HK$1,060 less per month if you are on welfare.
After an outcry and a united opposition from both the pan-democrats and the pro-government lawmakers, the government introduced the HK$1,060 supplement, making it look like new applicants won’t lose any money after all.
Lawmakers united against ‘heartless’ proposal for elderly welfare payments
Officials also waived a HK$200 penalty for new welfare recipients aged 60 to 64 who didn’t look for work.