Almost One-third Of HK's Poor Now Jobless: Survey

A new survey conducted by a grassroots organisation indicates that the jobless rate among the poor is five times worse than official figures suggest – with 31.5 percent of those polled saying they’re out of work.

Latest provisional government figures released on Wednesday said Hong Kong’s jobless rate eased slightly to 6.1 percent in the three months to July.

But the Society for Community Organisation (Soco) on Sunday said the 330 people it polled earlier this month paints a much bleaker picture.

Not only were almost a third jobless, 28 percent said they have been out of a job for the entire year.

SOCO said almost all those interviewed say they would prefer the government to hand out an unemployment cash subsidy rather than apply for social welfare, because they don't want to deal with all the red tape.

Some of those interviewed complained that they haven't even been able to reach officials from the social welfare department for help because many government staff are working from home during the epidemic.

Among those who shared their plight at a Soco news conference on Sunday was Karen Ng – a university graduate who was sacked in June.

Living in a subdivided flat together with her family of three, she said she’s at a loss for what to do as their savings have dwindled down to less than HK$10,000 – but need to pay HK$6,000 in rent every month.

Ng said their savings were depleted after her mother suffered a stroke a few years back, but now both she and her brother are jobless.

She is now looking to find work as a security guard, but won’t be started a course to train her for this for another month yet.

A community organiser with Soco, Sze Lai-shan, said the government needs to provide people with unemployment cash subsidies as soon as possible.

"[The grassroots] are really desperate, they need help. In the past few months, even though the government [have been providing] some support, the grassroots cannot directly benefit. The assistance is so inadequate," she said.

Sze said the unemployment subsidy should be set at a maximum of HK$16,000 a month, or 80 percent of the average monthly income here.

She said each jobless person should be entitled to this subsidy for a maximum of six months.