Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese Email this article news.gov.hk
Scheme $6,000 progressing to second stage
*****************************************

     The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau said today (March 29) Stage 2 of Scheme $6,000 will commence on April 1. Persons who met the eligibility criteria on August 28, 2011, may register on or after April 1 to receive payment of $6,000 plus a bonus of $200. During the first two weeks of Stage 2, priority will be accorded to processing registrations made by elderly registrants who were born in 1946 or before.

     A spokesman for the Bureau said that the overall implementation of Stage 1 has been smooth. As at March 26, over 4.5 million people had successfully registered under the Scheme.

     Persons who meet the eligibility criteria (i.e. being the holder of a valid Hong Kong permanent identity card and aged 18 or above) on the Scheme commencement date (August 28, 2011) may, regardless of their year of birth and with regard to their individual circumstances and choices, register on or before March 31, 2012 to receive payment of $6,000 (Stage 1), or from April 1 to December 31, 2012, to receive payment of $6,000 plus a bonus of $200 (Stage 2).

     Persons who did not meet the eligibility criteria on August 28, 2011, but will do so on the eligibility date (March 31, 2012) may also register on or before December 31, 2012, to receive payment of $6,000.

     Under Scheme $6,000, the date on which a registration form is received from registrants who were eligible on the Scheme commencement date would normally be used to determine whether they should receive $6,000 (if the form receipt date is on or before March 31, 2012) or $6,200 (if the form receipt date is on or after April 1, 2012). Depending on the means by which the registration is submitted, the form receipt date normally refers to:

* the date on which the registration form is submitted to a drop box placed in a bank or post office (if submitted through drop box);
* the transaction date recorded by the e-banking system of the relevant bank (if submitted via e-banking); or
* the date of the postmark stamped by the Hongkong Post or the relevant overseas postal authority (if applicable) (if submitted by mail to Hong Kong General Post Office Box No. 186000).

     As with the arrangement during Stage 1, registrants who register through banks and have met the eligibility criteria will normally receive payment in around 10 weeks after registration. Those who register through Hongkong Post and have met the eligibility criteria will normally be notified by post to collect their cheque in around 12 weeks after registration.

     The registration platforms will remain the same in Stage 2. People registering through banks or through Hongkong Post may submit the registration forms through drop boxes placed at any branch of the bank specified for receiving payment or post office, or mail it to Hong Kong General Post Office Box No. 186000. Those who are e-banking users of the 14 banks concerned may also submit their registration via e-banking, which is even more simple.

     As the first day of Stage 2 of the Scheme (i.e. April 1) falls on a Sunday, eligible persons may send the completed registration forms by mail or submit registration via e-banking. If eligible persons wish to submit registration forms through drop boxes placed at banks or post offices, they may do so during their opening hours from Monday to Saturday (i.e. starting from April 2).

     The spokesman reminded members of the public to safeguard their personal data and guard against scams for obtaining personal data or money by deceit in the guise of Scheme $6,000.

     For more information about Scheme $6,000, please visit www.scheme6000.gov.hk. Enquiries can be made on 186000.

Ends/Thursday, March 29, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:31

NNNN

Print this page