Coronavirus: nearly 90 per cent of social service users say incomes have taken hit, survey finds

Respondents report redundancies or companies closing among reasons for worsening financial hardship, Hong Kong Council of Social Service says

The NGO urges the government to set up an unemployment assistance fund ‘as soon as possible’

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An empty row of stalls in Central in Kong Kong, which has taken a strong economic hit from the coronavirus pandemic. Nora Tam

Published: 6:20pm, 16 Apr 2020Updated: 6:44pm, 16 Apr 2020

Nearly 90 per cent of Hong Kong residents using social services have either lost their jobs or seen their income fall amid the Covid-19 crisis, a survey by a non-governmental organisation has found.

To help people get through the economic hardship brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, the government should set up an unemployment assistance fund “as soon as possible”, the Hong Kong Council of Social Service said.

The council last month asked close to 6,000 social service users to answer questions on one of four areas – childcare, use of medical and social services, mental health and employment, with 1,138 people choosing the final topic.

Among them, 87 per cent said their income had been affected, including 400 who reported they had lost their job, with redundancies or companies closing among the reasons cited.

The council, which helps to co-ordinate 490 agencies providing social services, called for the government to study and roll out an unemployment assistance fund “as soon as possible”.