The following is issued on behalf of the Community Care Fund Secretariat:
 
     The Community Care Fund (CCF) will start accepting applications from four-or-more-person households for the "One-off Living Subsidy for Low-income Households Not Living in Public Housing and Not Receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA)" Programme (2020) from tomorrow (October 5). The amount of subsidy for four-person households and five-or-more-person households are $14,500 and $15,500 respectively.
 
     Beneficiaries should currently be renting accommodation on a monthly basis (or for longer tenures) in private housing, industrial buildings, commercial buildings or social housing operated by non-governmental organisations (NGOs); renting bedspaces offered under the Home Affairs Department's Singleton Hostel Programme or bedspaces in hostels operated by NGOs for rehabilitated offenders; residing in temporary housing; living on board vessels; or being homeless. Their monthly income must not exceed the specified limits. They should not be receiving CSSA or own any property in Hong Kong. For persons renting accommodation in private housing, industrial buildings, commercial buildings or social housing, their monthly rent should not exceed the specified rent limits. The income and rent limits for four-person households, five-person households and six-or-more-person households are as follows -
 

Household size (persons)	Household income limit ($)	Household rent limit ($) (if applicable)
4	33,500	16,750
5	36,900	18,450
6 or above	40,800	20,400

 
     Eligible four-or-more-person households should submit applications to the service units assisting in the implementation of the programme near their residence by post or in person starting from tomorrow. A drop-box arrangement is provided in some service units. Households comprising solely elderly persons aged 60 or above, households comprising solely young persons aged 24 or below or the homeless can submit applications to elderly service units, youth service units or service units accepting applications from the homeless respectively by the deadline of November 30. Application forms and the programme brief can be downloaded at the CCF website (www.communitycarefund.hk). Applicants are advised to submit applications by post. Applicants who wish to submit applications to the service units in person are suggested to call the service units for the operating hours. Service units may require applicants to make a booking in advance. 
 
     The Secretariat and service units will vet each application, including verifying the eligibility, checking the supporting documents submitted, and conducting home visits/income tests on selected applications. The Secretariat will issue notifications of results to applicants after vetting applications and disburse the subsidy to eligible households through bank transfer or in the form of order cheques.
 
     The Programme was launched on July 2 to relieve the financial pressure on low-income households. The Secretariat started accepting applications from one-person households, two-person households and three-person households on July 2, August 3 and September 1 respectively. As at September 30, the Secretariat has received more than 50 000 applications, and the Secretariat is handling such applications.
 
     For details of the programme, please visit the CCF website (www.communitycarefund.hk) or call the programme hotline on 2180 6666.

Ends/Sunday, October 4, 2020
Issued at HKT 11:00

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