Hong Kong to offer HK$20,000 in subsidies to help elderly and disabled voters
Eligible community centres will receive funds to provide transport arrangements to bring these voters to polling sites
Hong Kong authorities will offer a one-time HK$20,000 (US$2,570) subsidy to more than 200 community centres serving the elderly and disabled to help more voters cast their ballots in the coming Legislative Council election, expanding on an arrangement in place during a previous citywide poll two years ago.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Tuesday that the subsidies would be used to provide transport arrangements to elderly residents and people with disabilities, as well as their carers, who were planning to vote.
“On election day, care centres for the elderly and district support centres for people with disabilities throughout Hong Kong will arrange for vehicles and staff to transport them and their carers to polling stations to vote,” he said.
“[The facilities] will provide care services for the elderly and people with disabilities while their carers are under way to vote, and also encourage them to actively participate in the poll.”
The bureau and the Social Welfare Department had already held various election-related activities in such facilities to promote the poll among service users, he added.
The department sent invitations on Tuesday to 216 care homes for the elderly and 21 district support centres for people with disabilities across Hong Kong, encouraging them to sign up for the subsidies.