Rejection of Assistance Scheme Applications Due to Per Capita Income Thresholds Being Exceeded as Unrelated Individuals or Families Share Same Home Address

Mr Sharael Taha asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how many applications for assistance schemes such as the Financial Assistance Scheme were rejected over the past five years due to per capita income thresholds where multiple families or unrelated individuals share the same address; and (b) whether the Ministry will review this criterion to ensure eligibility reflects actual financial dependency, so that individuals facing genuine need are not inadvertently excluded.

When assessing households' eligibility for ComCare, social assistance officers already consider which household members living at the applicant's address should be included in the household income assessment and which should be omitted. If the Member is aware of any application where certain individuals should be omitted, we invite him to surface to the Social Service Office for review.