Budget 2025: Budget disappoints elderly and grassroots

The Society for Community Organisation said today that the latest budget proposals are disappointing for Hong Kong’s grassroots and elderly communities.

SOCO deputy director Sze Lai-shan said they had hoped for increases in welfare payments to caregivers, elderly people and single non-permanent residents. There is none of this in the budget.

For the elderly, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po proposed to expand the Residential Care Service Voucher Scheme by 1,000 to 6,000 total and the number of vouchers under the Community Care Service Voucher Scheme by 1,000 to 12,000 total.

He also promised to boost senior citizens’ buying power by providing an one-off allowance to eligible social security recipients, equal to half of the standard monthly rate for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance payments, Old Age Allowance, Old Age Living Allowance or Disability Allowance. This payment will range from around HK$1,000 to HK$3,600.

But Sze said the budget plan is sacrificing the interest of elderly people.

“Since elderly people are earning less money, they rely on the government’s support. The government should consider developing the economy without exploiting elderly people’s welfare,” Sze said.

Construction worker Lee Cheuk-ming, 61, said the government should not be harsh on elderly people.

“The government pointed its knife to the elderly in this budget plan. Freezing civil service workers' salaries is not enough. Cutting parts of their welfare to cover community support is what we want in this budget plan,” Lee said.

Lily Kwan, 69, said that elderly people should receive more financial support despite the fiscal deficit. 

Kwan said that it is better to have the extra allowance than nothing, at least she can have one better meal.

“The government should spend more on our living quality and sense of well-being,” she added.