Community Care Fund HK$6,000 handout: new arrivals can apply from 3 October

After registration opened for the HK$6,000 Scheme for permanent residents, the Community Care Fund announced its parallel handout for low-income new arrivals: applications open 3 October, with payments expected from early November.

Who is eligible?

Applicants must turn 18 on or before 31 March 2012, have lived in Hong Kong for less than seven years, and come from low-income families — meaning the household has passed the means test of specified assistance schemes, or monthly household income falls below set limits. Those who arrived via the Capital Investment Entrant, Quality Migrant, Supplementary Labour or Working Holiday schemes do not qualify.

Key facts:

What should applicants know?

No need to rush. Committee chairman Law Chi-kwong urged applicants not to crowd the start, to avoid backlogs slowing approvals; applications are not processed in phases. Applicants must submit copies of ID, proof of new-arrival status, bank account documents and related papers; those not means-tested must declare average monthly household income for the three months before applying.

The secretariat acknowledges receipt within a week and has set up a 160-strong team to spot-check cases against fraud. Forms go online on 30 September and are available from Home Affairs, Social Welfare and Labour Department offices from 3 October.