Welfare help for more than 140,000 residents in Hong Kong after government eases eligibility criteria
- About 24,000 more households will be able to claim working family allowance after required hours on the job cut in half
- Another 120,000 residents can use government-run food bank programme after asset ceiling raised
More than 140,000 Hong Kong residents will be newly eligible for welfare benefits distributed through the working family allowance scheme and food bank programme after the government eased the qualification criteria.
“In this whole world, no country and no government has ever provided a non-means tested … unemployment benefit,” he said. “It’s very interesting that people in Hong Kong have been advocating such a scheme that no one else in this world will do.”
Officials will present the changes to the Legislative Council’s panel on welfare services on Monday. Law expected the expanded programmes to run for a year beginning in June.
Underprivileged families are currently eligible for the family allowance if the household works at least 144 hours a month in total. The amount ranges from HK$500 (US$64) to HK$1,400 a month, depending on the number of hours and the family’s financial situation. Each child is also entitled to an additional HK$700 to HK$1,400 per month.
Given that many people are underemployed during the outbreak, the government decided to lower the threshold of hours to 72.
“Since the outbreak started at the beginning of last year, many people have been underemployed,” Law said.