Extra carer allowance 'made within strict constraints'

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun announced a HK$300 increase to monthly caregiver allowances for low-income families, emphasizing the government's focus on helping those most in need. Chief Executive John Lee detailed additional support measures, raising the allowance for low-income caregivers of the elderly and persons with disabilities by 10% to HK$3,300.

Sun clarified that the government must work within strict financial constraints, stating that every additional dollar makes a difference. The government aims to prioritize assistance for low-income caregivers despite limited resources. Additionally, plans were unveiled to launch a mobile version of the JoyYou Card by year-end, offering seniors a HK$2 flat rate or 80% discount on public transport.

The rollout would occur in stages, starting with replacing existing cards to ensure all 2.7 million eligible residents receive personalized JoyYou Cards with profile photos. Sun noted that physical cards would remain an option after the mobile card launch, catering to seniors who prefer not to use smartphones. The government also piloted two assistive technologies for single-elderly households – one for fall detection and another for automatic emergency alerts. If successful, the scheme could be expanded to more elderly households in Hong Kong.