Policy Address
Enhancing Social Welfare Safety Net
138. The CSSA Scheme put in place by the Government has all along served its function as a safety net effectively. With the local unemployment rate continuing to rise since late 2019, the number of CSSA unemployment cases has increased accordingly. In the past 12 months (as at late October this year), the total number of CSSA unemployment cases has recorded a nearly 55% increase, which shows that the CSSA Scheme is generally regarded as a safety net by the unemployed during the epidemic and economic downturn. To assist more unemployed persons and their families, the Government has launched the Special Scheme of Assistance to the Unemployed under the CSSA Scheme on 1 June this year for a period of one year to temporarily relax the asset limits for able-bodied applicants/ recipients by 100%. To further support the unemployed, upon completion of the necessary adjustments to the CSSA system, we will implement a new arrangement under which the total cash value of insurance policies of able-bodied CSSA applicants/recipients will be disregarded as assets for a period of one year, so that more unemployed persons can receive assistance to tide over their economic difficulties.
Alleviating the Burden of Transport Expenses
139. To alleviate the public’s burden of transport expenses during the epidemic, the Government has earlier introduced a special temporary measure to temporarily relax the monthly public transport expenses threshold under the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme from $400 to $200 between July and December this year. I have decided to extend the measure for six months. In other words, from 1 January to 30 June 2021, the Government will continue to provide a subsidy amounting to one-third of the monthly public transport expenses in excess of $200, subject to a maximum of $400 per month. It is estimated that around 3.8 million people will benefit per month. Furthermore, after discussion with the Government, the MTRCL has decided to extend the 20% fare discount, which is supposed to cease at the end of this year, for three months until March 2021.
