LCQ15: One-off Living Subsidy for the N have-nots households
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Question:
The Community Care Fund launched thrice the "One-off Living Subsidy for Low-income Households Not Living in Public Housing and Not Receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance" ("One-off Living Subsidy") programme in 2013, 2015 and 2016 respectively to relieve the financial pressure of such low-income households (commonly known as "N have-nots households"). However, the Fund has not launched the programme again this year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of households granted the One-off Living Subsidy in each of the years of 2013, 2015 and 2016, and set out in a tabulated breakdown by household size (one person, two persons, three persons and four persons or above) and District Council district; and
(2) as there are views that the Government should launch the One-off Living Subsidy programme again and even regularise the programme, with a view to relieving the financial pressure of the N have-nots households, whether the authorities will consider the proposal; if they will not, of the reasons for that; whether there are alternative measures?
Reply:
President,
The Community Care Fund (CCF) first launched the One-off Living Subsidy for Low-income Households Not Living in Public Housing and Not Receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) programme in December 2013 (1st Launch), with its second launch in January 2015 (2nd Launch) and third launch in January 2016 (3rd Launch), to provide one-off living subsidy to the "N have-nots" who cannot benefit from the relief measures introduced by the Budget released in the respective years.
Our reply to the two parts of the question is as follows:
(1) A tabulated breakdown of the numbers of households granted the one-off living subsidy as at December 31, 2016 by household size and District Council district is as follows:
| Household size | 1st Launch | 2nd Launch | 3rd Launch |
| Number of households granted the subsidy | |||
| 1 person | 14 982 | 17 889 | 18 362 |
| 2 persons | 13 020 | 15 494 | 16 621 |
| 3 persons | 13 754 | 15 611 | 16 552 |
| 4 persons or above | 10 342 | 12 628 | 14 356 |
| Total: | 52 098 | 61 622 | 65 891 |
| District Council district | 1st Launch | 2nd Launch | 3rd Launch |
| Number of households granted the subsidy | |||
| Central & Western | 1 382 | 1 570 | 1 567 |
| Eastern | 2 305 | 2 664 | 2 893 |
| Southern | 482 | 547 | 581 |
| Wan Chai | 909 | 1 024 | 1 077 |
| Kowloon City | 4 813 | 5 355 | 5 529 |
| Kwun Tong | 2 932 | 3 491 | 3 862 |
| Sham Shui Po | 10 442 | 11 260 | 11 665 |
| Wong Tai Sin | 1 094 | 1 316 | 1 475 |
| Yau Tsim Mong | 8 141 | 9 308 | 9 803 |
| Islands | 668 | 782 | 829 |
| Kwai Tsing | 1 719 | 2 050 | 2 145 |
| Sai Kung | 403 | 531 | 608 |
| Sha Tin | 769 | 947 | 1 109 |
| Tai Po | 1 562 | 2 055 | 2 331 |
| North | 4 171 | 5 480 | 5 850 |
| Tsuen Wan | 3 799 | 4 300 | 4 739 |
| Tuen Mun | 2 020 | 2 705 | 2 933 |
| Yuen Long | 4 487 | 6 237 | 6 895 |
| Total: | 52 098 | 61 622 | 65 891 |
(2) The One-off Living Subsidy for Low-income Households Not Living in Public Housing and Not Receiving CSSA programme (the Programme), launched by the Commission on Poverty in the light of the short-term relief measures introduced by the Budget released in the financial year of the launch, provides one-off assistance to the so-called "N have-nots" who cannot benefit from such relief measures. Therefore, the consideration of incorporating programmes into the government's regular programmes is not applicable to this Programme. As fewer short-term relief measures were announced in the 2016-17 Budget, for example, no longer paying rent for tenants living in public rental housing, there is insufficient justification for the CCF to re-launch the Programme to provide cash subsidy to low-income "N have-nots" not living in public housing and not receiving CSSA.
On the other hand, recurrent cash-based programmes, such as the Work Incentive Transport Subsidy launched in October 2011 and the Low-income Working Family Allowance launched in May 2016, aim to alleviate, on a continuing basis, the financial pressure faced by low-income working persons and their families. The CCF will continue to take into account views of the public and stakeholders in launching other programmes to assist the underprivileged and grassroots families.
Ends/Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Issued at HKT 12:30
Issued at HKT 12:30
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