The following is issued on behalf of the Community Care Fund Secretariat:
      
     The Community Care Fund (CCF) announced today (October 3) the extension of the Pilot Scheme on Raising the Maximum Level of Disregarded Earnings for Recipients with Disabilities under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme for 12 months till the end of September 2020. The pilot scheme is administered by the Social Welfare Department (SWD).
      
     The pilot scheme was rolled out in October 2016. By raising the maximum level of disregarded earnings (DE) for recipients with disabilities under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme, this pilot scheme aims to encourage CSSA recipients with disabilities to engage in employment and work continuously. 
      
     Under the pilot scheme, the maximum level of DE for CSSA recipients with disabilities is raised from $2,500 per month to $4,000 per month, i.e. a 60 per cent increase. That is, the first $1,200 from recipients' monthly earnings from employment will be totally disregarded, while up to half of the earnings from the next $5,600 (i.e. $2,800) will be disregarded. 
      
     During the implementation period of the extended pilot scheme (i.e. from October 2019 to September 2020), CSSA recipients with disabilities who meet the following criteria will be eligible for the raised DE:
 

• receiving CSSA and medically certified to be disabled or in ill health;
• engaging in paid employment and entitled to the DE arrangement under the CSSA Scheme; and
• medically certified to be disabled or in ill health continuously while enjoying the raised DE under the pilot scheme.

     Eligible CSSA recipients with disabilities are not required to submit applications. In accordance with the current mode of operation, the SWD will assess the amount of additional DE relevant CSSA recipients are entitled to based on records of information on their employment income. The additional DE, in the form of subsidy, will be deposited directly into the bank accounts which the eligible CSSA recipients use for receiving CSSA payment. Notification letters will be issued to the beneficiaries setting out details of arrangements of the pilot scheme, including arrangements for payment of the subsidy.
      
     Details of the pilot scheme can be found on the CCF website (www.communitycarefund.hk) or the SWD website (www.swd.gov.hk). For enquiries, members of the public may call the CCF Team of the SWD on 3422 3090 during office hours.

Ends/Thursday, October 3, 2019
Issued at HKT 15:00

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