Consumption Voucher Scheme disbursed second vouchers to about 810 000 registrants today
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Regarding those people who were disbursed with the first consumption voucher on October 1, they will receive the second voucher on December 1.
For people who chose to collect the vouchers via AlipayHK, Tap & Go or WeChat Pay HK, the vouchers have been directly injected into their specified SVF accounts, which will be separated from the existing e-wallet in the account. When making payment, they only need to open the app and choose whether to use the vouchers and then pay as usual. The spokesman reminded the above people that the $3,000 second voucher, which has a validity period of 3 months, will expire together with the first $2,000 voucher on January 31, 2022, and the unused voucher value will automatically become invalid after the expiry date.
The spokesman reminded those who chose to collect the vouchers via Octopus may collect the vouchers by tapping the card at the Subsidy Collection Points of the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme at MTR stations, Light Rail Customer Service Centres, designated piers and public transport interchanges; designated convenience stores and supermarkets; Octopus Service Points; or via Octopus app. The voucher will be combined with the value stored in the Octopus card. People can make payment using the Octopus card as usual. The consumption falling within the usage scope of the consumption vouchers will automatically be counted towards the total "eligible spending", thereby automatically using the consumption vouchers. The value of both the first and second voucher is $2,000. When the total "eligible spending" has reached $4,000 within the fourth to seventh month from the disbursement of the first voucher, the $1,000 third voucher will be disbursed on the 16th day of the following month after the target spending has been achieved.
For people who collect the vouchers via Octopus card, there is no need for them to make purchase when tapping the card to collect the vouchers at supermarkets or convenience stores. However, they need to inform the staff that they want to collect the consumption voucher in order to receive the voucher.
The consumption vouchers have a wide coverage. In general, the vouchers can be used at local retail, catering and service outlets or their online platforms which accept payments by the four designated SVFs, such as retail shops, market stalls, department stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, fast food shops, coffee shops, recreational facilities, beauty salons and public transport, etc. However, the vouchers cannot be used for the following transaction items:
- payments to the Government (e.g. tax, fines, licence fees, tunnel fees, parking meters)
- payments to public utilities (i.e. water, electricity and gas)
- payments to public organisations (e.g. Hospital Authority, Hong Kong Housing Authority, Hong Kong Housing Society)
- education expenses (i.e. payments to primary and secondary schools providing local and non-local curriculum, and UGC-funded universities)
- purchase of financial products or services (e.g. insurance)
- donation (including charitable, religious and political organisations)
- direct purchases from merchants located outside Hong Kong (including online purchases through non-local online platforms made locally)
- person to person payments
- encashment
The spokesman reiterated that if merchants accept payments by any of the four SVFs under the Scheme, they cannot reject the use of consumption vouchers through that facility or impose additional fees or restrictions.
The public may browse the apps and websites or call the following hotlines of the relevant SVF operators to enquire about how to use the vouchers, the value of the vouchers disbursed, unspent/uncollected voucher balance, expiry dates, etc.
AlipayHK: 2245 3201
Octopus: 2969 5500
Tap & Go: 2888 0000
WeChat Pay HK: 3929 1666
The public may visit the Consumption Voucher Scheme website (www.consumptionvoucher.gov.hk) or call the hotline 18 5000 for enquiries if they have any questions about the Scheme.
Ends/Monday, November 1, 2021
Issued at HKT 9:14
Issued at HKT 9:14
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