Community Care Fund to Pay New Immigrants HK$6,000; Single-Person Income Cap Eased to HK$7,300

The Community Care Fund’s steering committee, chaired by Chief Secretary Henry Tang, yesterday approved paying HK$6,000 to new immigrants: those resident under seven years must pass a household income test. The committee also eased the single-person household income cap again — from HK$6,500 up HK$800 to HK$7,300 — while caps for two-to-six-plus-person households stay put.

Who qualifies?

New immigrants aged 18 by next March-end and resident under seven years, subject to income screening. Those already on CSSA, student financial assistance or medical-fee waiver schemes qualify automatically; other low-income newcomers must meet the income caps. Investors and talent-scheme entrants are all excluded. The committee expects 90% of new immigrants — over 230,000 people — to qualify, costing HK$1.5 billion; administration stays under 2%, about HK$30 million, or HK$120 per recipient.

How do you apply?

Mail the form between 3 October and 30 June next year — no application means forfeiting the money. Applicants post the completed form with income proof to the fund secretariat, which cross-checks cases against departmental data; payouts start as early as November via bank transfer, or by in-person cheque collection for those without bank accounts. Joint accounts are excluded and late applicants get no bonus. A written declaration is required — false income statements are criminally prosecutable — and 10% of cases will be spot-checked.

Why ease the single-person cap?

Because the old HK$6,500 was seen as unrealistically low. Chairman Law Chi-kwong said members felt HK$6,500 was too low: census data shows 40% of single-person households are no-income or CSSA elderly living alone, dragging the median down. Halving the two-person cap of HK$14,600 to HK$7,300 was deemed fairer. He stressed the minimum-wage factor played no part in the adjustment.

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