What are the eligibility criteria of the Working Family Allowance Scheme?
Working Family and Student Financial Assistance AgencyEligibility Criteria for Working Family Allowance (WFA)
1. On a household basis, including singleton households.
2. The total working hours of non-single-parent households and single-parent households1 must meet the working hour requirements (See the table below):
Applicable to the claim months of April 2024 or after
| Total Monthly Working Hours (Hours) | Monthly Allowance for Each Household |
|---|---|
| 144 to less than 168 (non-single-parent households) 36 to less than 54 (single-parent households) | Full-rate Basic Allowance: $1,150 3/4-rate Basic Allowance: $863 Half-rate Basic Allowance: $575 |
| 168 to less than 192 (non-single-parent households) 54 to less than 72 (single-parent households) | Full-rate Medium Allowance: $1,380 3/4-rate Medium Allowance: $1,035 Half-rate Medium Allowance: $690 |
| 192 or more (non-single-parent households) 72 or more (single-parent households) | Full-rate Higher Allowance: $1,610 3/4-rate Higher Allowance: $1,208 Half-rate Higher Allowance: $805 |
Applicable to the claim months from June 2022 to March 2024
| Total Monthly Working Hours (Hours) | Monthly Allowance for Each Household |
|---|---|
| 144 to less than 168 (non-single-parent households) 36 to less than 54 (single-parent households) | Full-rate Basic Allowance: $1,000 3/4-rate Basic Allowance: $750 Half-rate Basic Allowance: $500 |
| 168 to less than 192 (non-single-parent households) 54 to less than 72 (single-parent households) | Full-rate Medium Allowance: $1,200 3/4-rate Medium Allowance: $900 Half-rate Medium Allowance: $600 |
| 192 or more (non-single-parent households) 72 or more (single-parent households) | Full-rate Higher Allowance: $1,400 3/4-rate Higher Allowance: $1,050 Half-rate Higher Allowance: $700 |
Note: Applicant and his/her household member(s) may report the working hours of more than one paid job within the same month. WFA Scheme also allows household members to aggregate their working hours.)
1 A working single parent applicant (including a guardian) has to live with at least one child aged below 15.
3. A WFA household must meet the income and asset limits (please press here).
4. The applicant and his/her household members must be Hong Kong residents and living in Hong Kong.
The WFA Scheme accepts applications from households of one person or more. A household generally refers to a unit with persons having close economic ties (but excluding economic ties arising from employment relationships) and living on the same premises (in Hong Kong). Members must be Hong Kong residents, normally including husband and wife, and those who live on the same premises and share or are obliged to share the provisions for a living. If the members are temporarily not living on the same premises but would reasonably be expected to return to live together, they would be regarded as members. However, for those who are not living on the same premises and are reasonably expected not to return to live together, they would not be regarded as members.
Normally, husband and wife are taken as members of the same household under the WFA Scheme irrespective of whether they live on the same premises. Applicants and other household members must report the particulars of their spouses in the application forms, unless the spouse is not a Hong Kong resident, or there is indication of permanent separation, or in other justifiable circumstances.
5. Points to Note:
- A household receiving WFA cannot concurrently receive Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) in the same claim month.
- The WFA Scheme does not impose a requirement on the length of residence in Hong Kong. New arrivals may also apply for WFA or be counted as household member(s). Hong Kong non-permanent residents who have been admitted to Hong Kong to work, study or receive training and their dependents, and individuals who have entered Hong Kong as visitors, are not eligible to apply for WFA or be counted as household members.
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