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The Social Welfare Department (SWD) launched the Guangdong (GD) Scheme today (October 1). Eligible Hong Kong elderly people aged 65 or above who choose to reside in Guangdong will receive the monthly Old Age Allowance of HK$1,135 without the need to return to Hong Kong each year.
Elderly people who have submitted their applications to the SWD on or before October 1, will receive the allowance starting from October 1 this year, as long as they have met all the eligibility criteria on or before October 1, irrespective of when their applications are approved.
The SWD has received applications for the GD Scheme since August 1. Up to yesterday (September 30) the department had received about 13,360 applications.
An SWD spokesman said that SWD would issue acknowledgment letters to applicants upon receipt of their applications by post. For the convenience of elderly people and to ensure interviews are carried out smoothly, the SWD will invite the applicants by appointment to complete the application procedures in batches at the Social Security Field Unit (Guangdong Scheme) (Address: Units 2110-2111, 21/F, Landmark North, 39 Lung Sum Avenue, Sheung Shui, Hong Kong). As over 10,000 applications have been received, it will take some time for the SWD to arrange interviews with applicants and process their applications. Applicants are advised to wait patiently for the appointments.
SWD staff will make appointments with the applicants through phone calls and letters and will remind them to bring along all the necessary supporting documents when they attend the scheduled interview for completing the application procedures. For details of the documents required, please make reference to page 21-22 of Guidance Notes. (www.swd.gov.hk/gds/doc/Guidance_Notes_ENG.pdf)
The SWD spokesman said, "If the applicant can provide all the necessary documents and complete all the procedures during the interview, the SWD, having ascertained the eligibility of the applicant, will generally be able to make the payment to an approved application within seven working days after the interview."
Any elderly people who wish to apply for the GD Scheme can download the Application Form and Guidance Notes from the GD Scheme website, or obtain them from social security field units across the territory and from designated locations in GD Province, including the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office and service units of the International Social Service Hong Kong Branch. Applicants may also request the Application Forms and Guidance Notes from the Social Security Field Unit (Guangdong Scheme) by phone or by post.
For enquiries, please visit the GD Scheme website (www.swd.gov.hk/gds) or call the GD Scheme enquiry hotline at 3105 3266.
Ends/Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Issued at HKT 10:01
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