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The Social Welfare Department (SWD) is to launch the "Old Age Living Allowance" (OALA) under the Social Security Allowance Scheme as an additional form of financial assistance for needy Hong Kong residents aged 65 or above to supplement their living expenses, with the same application criteria as the Normal Old Age Allowance (OAA) applicable to applicants aged 65 to 69. Eligible elderly will receive a monthly allowance of $2,200 and it is expected that over 400 000 elderly will benefit from the new allowance in its first year of implementation.
SWD is gearing up with the preparation work of the new allowance in full speed, including promotion plans and implementation procedures, with the aim to roll out the OALA in April this year.
A spokesman for the SWD said, "In anticipation of a large volume of potential applications at the initial stage of implementation, the SWD has devised a set of simplified application procedures for different categories of eligible elderly so that they are not required to queue up at SWD's Social Security Field Units (SSFUs). The applications will be implemented by three phases, namely: 'Auto-conversion', 'Postal Submission' and 'New Application'.
"Beneficiaries of the first phase are all existing and former Normal OAA recipients who had previously met the financial requirements at the time of application for Normal OAA. SWD will issue notification letters informing them of the 'Auto-conversion' arrangement by end of February this year. Those who have income and assets not exceeding the prescribed limits need not reply, nor do they need to make any applications. It is estimated that around 290 000 elderly will benefit from the 'Auto-conversion' arrangement."
"The second phase is targeted for existing Higher OAA recipients and Normal Disability Allowance (DA) recipients aged 65 or above. SWD will issue notification letters later on to inform them of the 'Postal Submission' arrangement. The third phase is 'New Application'. Those not currently on OAA or Normal DA can apply for OALA from April onwards. They can make applications by fax, by e-mail, by post, through referral by government departments / non-governmental organisations etc., or go to SWD's SSFUs near to their place of residence. SWD will announce details of the simplified application procedures in February,¡¨the spokesman added.
To ensure that elderly can receive the notification letters timely, SWD reminds those aged 65 or above, currently receiving OAA or Normal DA, to update their address immediately in writing to SWD's SSFUs in case of removal and that the change of address has not been reported to SWD. For enquires about the OALA, please call our hotline at 3595 0130 or visit SWD website at www.swd.gov.hk/oala.
Ends/Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Issued at HKT 21:13
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