The Social Welfare Department (SWD) announced today (January 27) that starting from February 1 this year, the standard payment rates under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme as well as the rates of the Old Age Allowance (OAA), Old Age Living Allowance (OALA) (including OAA and OALA under the Guangdong Scheme and the Fujian Scheme) and Disability Allowance under the Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme will be raised.

     An SWD spokesman said, "On December 6 last year, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council gave approval for the Government to adjust the above rates upwards by 1.3 per cent with effect from February 1 this year in accordance with the established mechanism, i.e., on the basis of the year-on-year rate of change of the Social Security Assistance Index of Prices, benefiting around 1.6 million people in total." The adjusted CSSA standard payment rates and the SSA rates of allowances are set out at Annex I.

     The spokesman added, "Furthermore, taking into account the movement of the Consumer Price Index (A) rent index for private housing, the Government will raise the maximum rent allowance (MRA) under the CSSA Scheme by 0.2 per cent, also with effect from February 1 this year." The adjusted MRA under the CSSA Scheme is provided at Annex II.

     CSSA and SSA recipients may contact their respective social security field units or call the SWD hotline 2343 2255 for enquiries.

Ends/Monday, January 27, 2025
Issued at HKT 11:00

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