Social security recipients to get one-off extra payment this month
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     A spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said today (June 12) that recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) as well as recipients of the Old Age Allowance (OAA) including the Guangdong (GD) Scheme and the Fujian (FJ) Scheme), the Old Age Living Allowance (OALA) and the Disability Allowance (DA) under the Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme, will receive a one-off extra payment this Friday (June 14).

     The spokesman said that the arrangement was one of a series of relief measures announced in the 2019-20 Budget. The SWD has been allocated $3.84 billion for implementing the arrangements and will credit the payment to the designated bank accounts of eligible recipients. Recipients who were eligible for the above social security payment on May 16 (the date of the passage of the Appropriation Bill 2019) will be eligible for the one-off extra payment without the need to make an application. 
 
     For CSSA recipients, the amount of the one-off extra payment is equivalent to one month's standard rate payable to different categories of recipients under the CSSA Scheme. Recipients of OAA (including the GD Scheme and the FJ Scheme), OALA and DA will receive an additional one month's allowance. The level of payment is as follows:
  Additional payment ($)
CSSA Scheme  
Category of recipients Single person Family member
Elderly person (Able-bodied/different degree of disability) 3,585 – 6,095 3,375 – 5,590
Adult (Able-bodied/different degree of disability) 2,525 – 6,095 1,810 – 5,590
Child (Able-bodied/different degree of disability) 3,035 – 6,535 2,015 – 6,035
     
Social Security Allowance Scheme    
OAA 1,385
Normal OALA 2,675
Higher OALA 3,585
Normal DA 1,770
Higher DA 3,540

     The measure will benefit about 1.32 million eligible persons including 330 000 CSSA recipients, 570 000 OALA recipients, 280 000 OAA (including GD Scheme and FJ Scheme) recipients and 150 000 DA recipients.
 
     For enquiries, recipients may call the SWD hotline at 2343 2255 or contact the respective Social Security Field Unit.

Ends/Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Issued at HKT 16:00

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