(Policy Address 2025) HK expands elderly care services with new vouchers and cross-border support

The government today announced an expansion of elderly care services, including the increase of Community Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly by 4,000, bringing the total to 16,000 vouchers.

Three new Neighbourhood Elderly Centres will be established to strengthen district-level support, with an expected annual capacity to serve approximately 3,000 elderly persons.

In a pilot initiative, newly built government welfare facilities will be leased out to provide service operators with greater flexibility in offering day care and elderly support services under different funding models. 

The Integrated Discharge Support Programme for Elderly Patients will also be enhanced to ensure smoother transitions and continued welfare support for vulnerable seniors after hospital discharge.

The supply of subsidized residential care will be bolstered by approximately 700 new places, and the number of Residential Care Service Vouchers will be increased by 1,000, raising the total to 7,000.

To nurture dedicated professionals in the sector, the government will subsidize eligible health workers from residential care homes to enroll in a new professional diploma program for Health and Care Practitioners.

Significant new cross-border initiatives were also unveiled. A pilot scheme will be launched by the end of this year to subsidize elderly Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients who choose to retire in Guangdong. 

The scheme will provide a monthly subsidy of HK$5,000 for residents in designated care homes in the province, with an initial quota of 1,000 places. 

Meanwhile, the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong will be expanded. Starting in October, the number of participating mainland residential care homes will increase from 15 to 24, and the covered cities will expand from six to eight.

A separate two-year pilot will launch by year’s end to share part of the medical expenses that Hong Kong elderly in the Guangdong scheme must pay out-of-pocket under the National Basic Medical Insurance Policy. 

To facilitate convenience, elderly recipients retiring in Guangdong and Fujian provinces will be given the option to receive government assistance directly through their bank accounts with designated mainland banks.