(updated in March 2023)
Various allowances are available to elderly persons in Hong Kong. These include the Old Age Allowance, the Normal Old Age Living Allowance (Normal OALA) and the Higher Old Age Living Allowance (Higher OALA).
Old Age Allowance
All Hong Kong residents aged 70 and above who are not in receipt of allowances under the Comprehensive Social Security Allowance Scheme (CSSA) may apply for Old Age Allowance which is generally known as “Fruit Money” (HK$1,570 per month). This allowance is non-means-tested. Applicants must be a Hong Kong resident for at least 7 years and have resided in Hong Kong continuously for at least one year before making the application, and should continue to reside in Hong Kong after receiving the allowance with absence not exceeding the permissible limit (
click here).
Old Age Living Allowance (OALA)
Elderly persons aged 65 or above and have been residents in Hong Kong for 7 years or above may apply for OALA (HK$4,060 per month). Applicants’ income and assets should not exceed the following limits:
|
|
Total income per month |
Total asset value
|
|
Single person |
$10,580 |
$388,000 |
|
Married couple |
$16,080 |
$589,000 |
Income includes wages from employment and business, retirement benefits, payout from annuity schemes, and other income, but not contributions for living expenses from family members, payments received under reverse mortgage.
Assets include properties, cash in hand, bank savings, stocks and shares, vehicles, etc. Owner occupied property, niche for self use and cash value of insurance schemes are excluded. The one-off lump-sum or instalment payment placed with an annuity scheme is not counted as asset.
Please visit ‘Income and Asset Limits for OALA under Eligibility Criteria
’ (
click here) for further details of income and assets.
Those who are currently receiving Old Age Allowance may still apply for the Normal OALA or Higher OALA, but would cease to receive Old Age Allowance if the application for OALA is successful.
You can download the application form (
click here) and make an application yourself or authorize another person to make it on your behalf. For other frequently asked questions, please visit
https://www.swd.gov.hk/oala/index_e.html#s6.
