New HK$45,000 welfare jobs incentive expected to benefit single parents most
Three-year pilot launching October 1 to offer up to HK$45,000 to help welfare recipients achieve self-reliance through sustained employment
Hong Kong’s new cash incentives of up to HK$45,000 (US$5,740) to encourage welfare recipients to take up jobs are expected to benefit many single-parent families, lawmakers have said, while urging more flexible eligibility rules and stronger employment support.
Legislators made the remarks on Tuesday as the government unveiled a three-year pilot scheme, which is financed by the Community Care Fund and set to launch on October 1.
The programme aims to help welfare recipients achieve self-reliance through sustained employment.
It targets families transitioning from the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) scheme to the Working Family Allowance (WFA) programme, offering HK$10,000 in the first year, HK$15,000 in the second and HK$20,000 in the third.
Lawmaker Bill Tang Ka-piu said single-parent families could benefit the most, noting they faced significantly lower working-hour thresholds under the WFA.
Applicants only need to work 36 hours per month to qualify for the basic tier, compared with 144 to 192 hours for general applicants.