The Government announced today (April 20) that, after the passage of the Appropriation Bill 2021, the Working Family Allowance Office (WFAO) of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency will disburse a one-off extra allowance to recipients of the Working Family Allowance (WFA) and the Work Incentive Transport Subsidy (WITS) as proposed in the 2021-22 Budget. It is expected that the extra allowance would be disbursed one month after the passage of the Bill at the earliest.

     Recipients who are eligible for the extra allowance are those whose WFA/WITS applications were made in the applicable period (i.e. from the first day of the month in which the Bill is passed to the date of passage of the Bill; and six calendar months before that month) and eventually approved. For applications sent by post, the date of the postmark will be taken as the application date.

     New applicants or previous recipients of the WFA/WITS who have yet to submit applications in the applicable period should submit applications before the applicable period expires (i.e. on or before the date of passage of the Bill) in order to be eligible for the extra allowance.

     The extra allowance is equal to half of the average monthly amount of the approved months payable to the corresponding recipients in their most recently submitted applications in the applicable period, and eventually approved. The amount varies from case to case.

     In addition, if a WFA household is receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) on the date of the passage of the Bill; or an applicant and household members whose working hours have been aggregated for WFA applications submitted an WITS application during the applicable period (and is eventually approved), that household is only eligible for one single extra allowance, the amount of which is the highest the household is eligible to receive under the WFA, CSSA or the WITS Scheme. Non-WFA applicants and household members whose working hours have not been aggregated for WFA applications are not subject to the above arrangement.

     For enquiries, applicants may call the WFAO's hotline (2558 3000) or visit the website of the WFAO (www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/wfao).

Ends/Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Issued at HKT 16:00

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