In Hong Kong, the overall objective of social security is aiming to provide for the basic and special needs of the members of the community who are in need of financial or material assistance. There are five social protection schemes implemented by the government. The Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme and Social Security Allowance Scheme are the two major ones, while the others are Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme, Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme, and Emergency Relief.

The Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme is to provide a safety net for individuals who cannot support themselves financially. It is means-tested and designed to bring their income up to a prescribed level to meet their basic needs. To be eligible for CSSA, a person must satisfy the residence requirement, pass financial tests of household income and asset, and additional criteria for able-bodied adults. The payments are classified into three types, namely, standard rates, supplements, and special grants (Social Welfare Department, 2019, July 30). In 2019, the amounts of standard rates for an able-bodied and 100% disabled single elderly person aged 65 or above were HK$3,585 and HK$4,335 per month respectively, And the amount of Long-term supplement (a major type of supplement under the scheme; for persons with ill-health owing to old age, disability or medical conditions) was HK$2,445 per year (Social Welfare Department, 2019d).

The Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme is to provide a monthly allowance to Hong Kong residents to meet special needs arising from disability or old age (Social Welfare Department, 2019, September 6). It includes the 1) Old Age Allowance (HK$1,385 per month) that is  universal for older adults aged 70 or over, 2) Old Age Living Allowance (HK$2,675 / HK$3,585) that is means-tested and designed for those aged 65 or over with financial difficulties, and 3) Disability Allowance (HK$1,770 / HK$3,540) that is provided for those with severe disability (Social Welfare Department, 2019d).

In Hong Kong, various local NGOs and charities are offering conditional social protection schemes for vulnerable groups and those with emergent needs in the form of one-off cash transfer and food aid. All these schemes targeted individuals or families that are not benefited from the social protection schemes provided by the Government. For example, the “Rainbow Fund” emergency allowance provided by The Community Chest (The Community Chest, n.d.), the “Apple Daily Fund” emergency allowance provided by Apple Daily Charitable Foundation (Apple Daily Charitable Foundation, 2020), the “SAGE Fund for the Elderly” provided by The Hong Kong Society for the Aged (The Hong Kong Society for the Aged, n.d.), the “Emergency Fund for Divided Families” provided by International Social Service Hong Kong Branch (International Social Service Hong Kong Branch, n.d.), the “Food for All” food assistance service provided by Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, n.d.), and the “Hotmeal” food assistance services provided by Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service (Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service, n.d.).

In 2019, the number of households receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, the major form of social security in Hong Kong, was 222,331 (8.5% of the total 2,628,800 domestic households) (Social Welfare Department, 2019, July 30).

References:

Apple Daily Charitable Foundation. (2020). Apple Daily Fund. Retrieved from https://hk-charity.nextmedia.com/site/index.php?fuseaction=site.aboutUs

Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service. (n.d.). Hotmeal. Retrieved from https://bokss.org.hk/poverty-alleviation-project/service?id=99&_lang=en

International Social Service Hong Kong Branch. (n.d.). Cross-Boundary and Inter-Country Social Service. Retrieved from http://www.isshk.org/en-us/services/index/CBIC

Social Welfare Department. (2019, July 30). Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme. Retrieved from https://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_comprehens/

Social Welfare Department. (2019, July 30). Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme. Retrieved from https://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_comprehens/

Social Welfare Department. (2019, September 6). Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme. Retrieved from https://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_ssallowance/

Social Welfare Department. (2019d). Social Security. Retrieved from https://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_socialsecurity/

The Community Chest. (n.d.). Rainbow Fund-Introduction. Retrieved from https://www.commchest.org/en/rainbow-fund

The Hong Kong Society for the Aged. (n.d.). SAGE Fund for the Elderly. Retrieved from https://www.sage.org.hk/Service/Fund.aspx?lang=en-US

Tung Wah Group of Hospitals. (n.d.). “Food for All” Service Background.