What Support Can We Get here?
- Anthony HO
- Feb 25, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 26, 2022
Look forward with hope, not backwards with regret.
22 March 2022 | Author: Azra
I have been requested by many friends and web visitors to collect the information regarding the support we refugees can get in this world's priciest city. Here we go!
There are many types of subsidy we can get here. Some come from local government, and some from various NGOs, like ISS-HK, refugee union and some church and mosques. I sort and list them. What's more, I would offer my suggestions! Hope to be helpful D:
Accommodation and Utilities
The standard rate of monthly rental subsidy and allowances are as below,
Rental subsidy:
HK$1,500 for an eligible adult
HK$ 750 for an eligible dependent child
Allowance on gas, water and electricity:
HK$ 300 for every each eligible service user (including both adult and child).
But be noted that the monthly rent and allowance are paid directly to the landlords after successful home visits by ISS-HK and submission of required documents. If we fail to meet the terms of the tenancy agreement, our subsidy would be rescinded unfortunately:(
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My Comments and Suggestions:
It's usually hard to find the housing whose rent meets that requirement. Even if we find, the location and inner environment are normally undesirable. It means that we have to bite the bullet in daily lives.
Let me just show a picture of the inner environment of a housing of my friend. It is quite narrow.
Food, Clothing and Transport
We can also get food and transport allowance
Monthly Food Allowance:
HK$1,500 for an eligible adult or child
Transport allowance
HK$ 200, usually, not fixed
We, if eligible, can be provided with petty cash to meet our travelling needs for some purpose, like medical appointments, attending spiritual worship, appointment with lawyers or ISS-HK etc. Be noted that the our allowance request would only be considered when the means of transportation are relatively cheap.
Clothing and Toiletry allowance
Clothing and toiletries may be distributed on a monthly basis to us, if eligible. The items would usually include washing powder, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and moreover, sanitary pads for women, razors for men, baby items.
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My Comments and Suggestions:
The amount of money seems decent in your hometown. Yet have you ever considered that fact that Hong Kong is virtually most expensive city.
Moreover, I find increasingly difficulty to get food and other daily necessities during the pandemic. For one thing, those NGOs stop some of the activities from which we can get useful stuffs. For another, due to various issue like greater stockpiling and supply chain, the price of something may be rising some time. Can imagine HK$70 for a kilo of vegetable? That's hard to believe, yet really happened few months ago :(
So my suggestion is that, step into the shops that suit you in normal cases. There are many types of supermarkets here, and they have different targeted group. Say items in ParknShop are usually much more expensive, yet of better quality and server there can speak more English. While the shopkeepers of those cheap store are usually not good at English. So under this circumstance, mastering some daily Cantonese would count. I have wrote a blog specifically for Cantonese/Chinese learning (See Sharing of Chinese Learning).
Another suggestion is that, bear in mind the details of material distribution activities organized by local NGOs. Keep in touch with them, figure out what they can offer, and it would save you a lot of money and worries!
Medical, Education and Legal Aid
Medical waiver:
It really depends. Usually, we are required to present the original copy of the refugee certificate to the staff at public hospital, if we want the medical costs to be waived. Yet bear in mind, all dentists in Hong Kong are private and medical fees will not be waived!!!
Education:
Local Education Bureau accepts schooling application for child refugees. Yet we have to apply for tuition fee subsidy on a need basis.
Legal Aid:
We can turn to Publicly-funded Legal Assistance Scheme operated by the Duty Lawyer Service for help, and it's free of charge!!!
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My comments on these issues may not be professional. Rather, I do recommend that you can go through the website below to get more details.
Medical waiver:
Education issue:
Justice Center, Hong Kong
Help from Church and Mosque
“Happiness doesn't necessarily lie in material things. If you can do what you love for a living, that's a good start. ”
Reference
Issues in Depth: Housing (2020).
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