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The Social Welfare Department (SWD) will issue to students on welfare benefits on August 17 a one-off grant of $1,000 per student for education-related expenses. The beneficiaries comprise the students (from kindergarten to secondary education) who are eligible for the flat-rate grant for school-related expenses under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme as well as participants of the Fee Assistance (FA) Scheme for Child Care Centres in the 2010/11 school year.
On the same day, the SWD will also provide a household-based cash subsidy for Internet access charges (SIA) to CSSA families with children in primary or secondary education receiving the flat-rate grant for school-related expenses in the 2010/11 school year. Each eligible CSSA family will receive a full subsidy of $1,300 for the school year.
A spokesman for the department said today (August 13) that the one-off grant for education-related expenses was part of a package of relief measures to help the disadvantaged as announced by the Financial Secretary in his 2010/11 Budget speech. Parents should make use of the grant to meet the educational expenses of their children for the school year. The SIA serves to reduce the burden on low-income families in meeting the Internet access charges for their children's e-learning at home. The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council subsequently approved the allocation of $520 million and $280 million respectively in May for implementing the measures.
"The grant and subsidy will be paid out through the existing CSSA payment method, i.e. through autopay to the designated bank account, for CSSA cases. Participants in the FA Scheme for Child Care Centres will receive a crossed cheque issued on the same day. Eligible welfare recipients are not required to apply for the grant or subsidy," he added.
For enquiries, welfare recipients can call the SWD hotline (tel: 2343 2255) or contact their social security field units. For enquiries on the SIA payment arrangement, please call the designated hotlines (tel: 3595 1795 or 3595 1796) during office hours between August and October 2010.
Ends/Friday, August 13, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:33
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