Cash Payout Scheme to advance payment to registrants using paper forms to tomorrow
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     The Government announced today (July 14) that according to the batching arrangement for registration by paper form under the Cash Payout Scheme, the first batch of eligible registrants (i.e. people born in 1955 or before) will receive the payment or notifications for cheque collection starting from tomorrow (July 15), i.e. five days earlier than the original scheduled date of July 20. If registrants of this age group submit registration forms on or after July 5, they will receive payment or notifications for cheque collection about two weeks after registration.

     People who have submitted paper forms to banks (Form 1) will receive the payment via their specified personal bank accounts. Those who have submitted registration forms to Hongkong Post (Form 2 in paper or electronic version) will receive notifications for cheque collection from Hongkong Post via SMS or letters. They may collect the order cheques in person from the post offices they specified during the period (about one month) set out in the notifications.

     A Government spokesman said that as at July 4, about 630 000 people belonging to the first batch had submitted paper registration forms through banks and Hongkong Post. As most people have responded positively to the appeal of the Government and banks to submit electronic registrations through banks, such registrations have accounted for over 80 per cent of the total registrations received so far, while the number of paper registrations received is less than expected, thus reducing the procedures and time required for handling registrations as a whole.

     As of yesterday (July 13), over 4.5 million people have received $10,000 via bank accounts. The spokesman reminded the public that as banks will send notifications including SMS to registrants as soon as possible after making payment, there is no need to rush to check account balances at banks' branches or personal banking centres (including checking transaction records by using passbook update machines). People will also have sufficient time to collect cheques from the post offices they specified. To assist the public, designated counters will also be set up at post offices which are chosen by more registrants for cheque collection. In view of the recent epidemic condition, people should avoid gathering at banks or post offices so as to reduce the risk of infection.

     The public may visit the website of the Scheme (www.cashpayout.gov.hk) or call 18 2020 for detailed information on the Scheme.

Ends/Tuesday, July 14, 2020
Issued at HKT 19:40

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