Paul Chan Tweaks Voucher Scheme To Boost Flexibility

Financial Secretary Paul Chan said on Saturday that the government was adjusting its plans for a HK$5,000 per person handout to give people more flexibility in how they spend their electronic vouchers.

Officials had said that the vouchers would be handed over this summer in monthly installments of HK$1,000 each, with a limited timeframe to use them.

Speaking on a radio programme, Chan said the administration had listened to the public and would give out the vouchers in fewer installments while allowing people more time to spend them.

“There are a lot of different views, showing people’s needs vary greatly," he said. "Some people want to spend a bigger amount in one go, while others don’t want to spend the money quickly. We hope to cater to these needs, so we would give people greater flexibility when we hand out the electronic spending vouchers.”

He said the government would consider letting residents keep the spending vouchers to use during the Lunar New Year holiday next year.

The vouchers were announced in the financial secretary's February budget as a way to encourage local spending and stimulate the economy after the pandemic.

People will be able to register to receive the vouchers via Octopus, Alipay Hong Kong, Tap-and-Go, and WeChat Pay Hong Kong. They'll be available to all permanent residents over the age of 18, as well as new arrivals.

Some welfare groups had criticised the voucher scheme, saying a direct cash handout would be more useful for grass-roots Hongkongers.