Government support, community care and household money
Find enquiry routes for food assistance, Care Teams, family services, medical funds, allowances, unclaimed MPF, tax and debt concerns.
Start with the task you are preparing for and work through the next steps.
Start with these three stages
You can start with the need rather than a scheme name: food, care, medical costs, income or debt. Check the support routes separately instead of assuming one form covers everything or that every service provides cash. This collection connects government and community channels, helping you prepare useful questions and check eligibility against your circumstances.
List the urgent need, household and support already received, then contact the relevant food service, Care Team or family centre. Ask about service areas, assessment, referrals and follow-up. Acceptance of an enquiry is distinct from approval. Keep the contact and reference, and establish another relevant route if an arrangement is unavailable.
For medical or care costs, prepare clinical information, estimates and household financial evidence before enquiring about funds, waivers or allowances. Check each scheme's permitted uses and applicant requirements separately. Disclose insurance and other assistance for an individual assessment instead of treating an advertised figure as a personal entitlement.
Separately review current arrangements for account fees, unclaimed MPF, tax and utility credits. For debt concerns, organise balances, interest, due dates and essential expenses before seeking formal support. An application, tax-payment enquiry or complaint does not itself establish a change to an existing payment deadline.
What would you like to figure out?
18 guides found
Suddenly short of food money: seek short-term food assistance
Find the team serving your address and check income, assets and needs; this is not a fixed cash allowance.
Everyday servicesWhat Care Teams can help with: local contacts and referrals
Ask about visits, basic support, information and referrals; local provision varies and does not replace benefit assessment.
Family, education and supportFamily difficulties: start with an Integrated Family Service Centre
Find the centre covering the address and explain the need; counselling, care and financial assistance can require different referrals.
Family, education and supportSocial-welfare referrals: what to explain in the first call
Use need, address, existing support and urgency to find the right unit; referral, application and approval are separate stages.
Healthcare servicesExpensive self-financed treatment: Samaritan Fund assessments
The doctor checks the covered item and clinical criteria before medical-social-work assessment; this differs from ordinary fee waivers.
Family, education and supportCheck the Community Care Fund: find the actual current programme
The fund contains programmes run by different bodies; one form does not claim every assistance item. Check status and entry point first.
Government support and careCSSA or Social Security Allowance: choosing the right enquiry
Compare household financial support with age or disability allowances before applying to SWD.
Family, education and supportWorking Family Allowance: hours, income, and claim months
Check household eligibility and organise hours, income, and assets for the claim period.
Government support and careCarer allowance eligibility: care needs, waiting lists and overlap
Check the specific carer allowance conditions while seeking practical care support and respite separately.
Government support and careDisability Allowance assessment: medical evidence and care changes
Use the recognised medical assessment and check additional care and institutional conditions for the higher allowance.
Healthcare servicesSeeking a waiver for public healthcare fees
Distinguish fee eligibility, waivers, and other support and prepare financial evidence.
Banking and everyday moneyElectricity credit remaining? The end-2026 deadline and moving home
Check the electricity account's credit, expiry and closure rules; past credit is not a new monthly cash allowance.
Banking and everyday moneyAsk about low-balance fee exemptions: identify the actual charge
Low-balance fee protection for vulnerable customers differs from free banking for every service; ask with the actual statement.
Banking and everyday moneyRepayments becoming unaffordable: debt list, lender discussion and counselling
List due dates and essential living costs, then approach lenders and recognised counselling; do not assume government debt clearance.
Work, tax and retirementLocate unclaimed MPF: the October 2026 enquiry transition
A forgotten account is not always statutory unclaimed benefits; enquiries move to eMPF on 5 October and withdrawal still has legal conditions.
Work, tax and retirementAvoid missing family tax claims: allowances, deductions and assessment years
Check spouse, child and dependant conditions for the assessment year and coordinate claims; an allowance is not a cash benefit.
Work, tax and retirementDifficulty paying tax: request IRD instalments and track surcharges
Apply before the due date with a realistic proposal and financial evidence; submission is not approval, and old relief announcements may not apply.
Practical routines and useful tipsA support-application folder: organise by evidence period
Get the current checklist, mark household, period and missing items, then retain submission and changes.
Written for the next step
Compiled by HomeHK with context, practical steps, and official sources. Guides distinguish Hong Kong, Macao, and mainland arrangements. Dates describe the content's preparation, not daily official verification.
Check the official page before acting
Fees, eligibility, capacity, and timetables change. Each guide links to official information for a final check. Seek appropriate individual advice for legal, tax, or medical decisions.