The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, visited the Central and Western/Islands Social Security Field Unit and the Tung Chung Social Security Field Unit of the Social Welfare Department (SWD) this afternoon (September 14). Accompanied by the District Social Welfare Officer (Central Western, Southern and Islands), Mr Lam Ding Fung, and the Senior Social Security Officer (Hong Kong Islands), Ms Vivian Ng, Mr Cheung was briefed on the Units' daily operation. He also took the opportunity to talk to frontline staff to learn more about their daily work and the latest Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) caseload and trend.

     Mr Cheung was pleased to learn that the overall CSSA caseload at the end of July had dropped for 64 consecutive months to 240 654 cases, the lowest since December 2001. Furthermore, the number of unemployment cases and low-earnings cases had decreased for 83 and 89 consecutive months to 15 219 and 5 686 respectively.

     Further analysis showed a persistent decrease in the percentage of unemployment cases, from 11.8 per cent in September 2009 to the current 6.3 per cent. The latest number of unemployment cases (15 219) marked a record low since May 1997, representing a huge drop of 70 per cent as compared with the peak in September 2003 (51 372 cases or 17.8 per cent of the total caseload at that time).

     Meanwhile, the latest CSSA figures revealed that there were 145 158 old age cases (60 per cent), 42 031 permanent disability and ill health cases (17 per cent) and 27 950 single parent cases (12 per cent). These cases accounted for nearly 90 per cent of the total caseload. "It showed that the CSSA could provide a safety net for the elderly and those with disabilities," Mr Cheung said.

     "The drop in unemployment cases showed that most CSSA recipients preferred self-reliance amidst the improved economy and labour market." He added that the SWD commissioned non-governmental organisations to operate the Integrated Employment Assistance Programme for Self-reliance to provide able-bodied CSSA applicants a range of one-stop integrated employment assistance services to enhance their employability.

     He encouraged SWD staff to keep up their good work in offering timely help to those in genuine need.

Ends/Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Issued at HKT 18:10

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