New HK$45,000 job scheme expected to benefit single-parent families most
Three-year pilot launching October 1 to offer up to HK$45,000 to help welfare recipients achieve self-reliance through sustained employment
Hong Kong’s new cash incentives of up to HK$45,000 (US$5,740) to encourage welfare recipients to take up jobs are expected to benefit many single-parent families, lawmakers have said, while urging more flexible eligibility rules and stronger employment support.
Legislators made the remarks on Tuesday as the government unveiled a three-year pilot scheme, which is financed by the Community Care Fund and set to launch on October 1.
The programme aims to help welfare recipients achieve self-reliance through sustained employment.
It targets families transitioning from the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) scheme to the Working Family Allowance (WFA) programme, offering HK$10,000 in the first year, HK$15,000 in the second and HK$20,000 in the third.
Lawmaker Bill Tang Ka-piu said single-parent families could benefit most, noting they faced significantly lower working-hour thresholds under the WFA.
Applicants only need to do 36 hours of work per month to qualify for the basic tier, compared with 144 to 192 hours for general applicants.