$5K VOUCHER TO BE DISBURSED IN APRIL

Over 6.3 million people who successfully registered for the Consumption Voucher Scheme launched last year will receive the first $5,000 voucher through their registered stored value facility accounts in April.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan announced in his 2022‑23 Budget the implementation of a new round of the Consumption Voucher Scheme to disburse electronic consumption vouchers with a total value of $10,000 by instalment to each eligible person.

He expounded on the details during a press conference this morning, saying the Government will disburse the first batch of the $5,000 vouchers to successful registrants of last year's scheme to relieve people’s economic burden due to the fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Mr Chan explained that the exact disbursement date will be announced as early as possible in light of the latest developments of the epidemic and the relevant arrangements.

“Because of the epidemic situation, many of the shops' operations have been interrupted. That also applies to the other stakeholders and operators involved in this particular Consumption Voucher Scheme.

“That is why, to be prudent, at this stage, we refrain from giving a specific date as to when this first batch of consumption vouchers will be disbursed.

“But our consideration is to do it as early as practically possible. But it really depends on the circumstances. From our standpoint, whatever we can do, we will do our best.

“But in order to enable the entire over 6.3 million citizens to receive this voucher smoothly, without any hiccup, I think it is very important for us to do sufficient back-end work, have the system properly tested, to ensure the experience of the users will end up being very good.”

People who collected the last round of vouchers via AlipayHK, Tap & Go or WeChat Pay HK will receive a $5,000 voucher with an expiry date of October 31 through the same account in April.

The vouchers collected via Octopus will be disbursed in two instalments. The first $4,000 voucher will be disbursed together with the other three e-wallets in April.

After receiving the vouchers, if the recipient's cumulative total eligible spending has reached $4,000 between May to October, a second $1,000 voucher will be disbursed on the 16th day of the following month after reaching the target. 

The remaining $5,000 vouchers will be disbursed together with the vouchers for eligible registrants newly registered in phase two to be implemented in the middle of the year. People may reselect the stored value facility and the account for receiving the vouchers in phase two.

As for new eligible registrants, the $10,000 in vouchers will be disbursed to them by instalment in phase two.

If the stored value facility account has become invalid or the Octopus card registered for receiving vouchers has been lost or returned, the registrants must update their registration record between March 7 to 25 in order to collect the $5,000 vouchers under phase one.

They have to send the completed application form for amendment of stored value facility account together with a copy of their Hong Kong identity card to Consumption Voucher Scheme Secretariat at PO Box 185000, General Post Office, Hong Kong.

For Octopus users, they may amend the registration record online to use another Octopus card to receive the vouchers. JoyYou cardholders may call the Octopus hotline at 2969 5500 to make the amendment.

People may also call the scheme’s dedicated hotline at 18 5000 for enquiries or to make a reservation with the temporary service centres at Pioneer Centre in Mong Kok, Tin Ching Amenity & Community Building in Tin Shui Wai or Revenue Tower in Wan Chai to obtain assistance from their staff to make the amendment.

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