More Hongkongers fall within the cracks of the official poverty line, social workers charge

Activists say more people live in poverty than official government figure of 1.34 million, which is itself up on the number for the previous year

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There is considerable debate about how many people live in poverty. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 11:00am, 22 Oct 2016Updated: 9:47am, 24 Oct 2016

The city’s poverty problem is far greater than the government lets on social workers say, with many living above the official poverty line who are still unable to eke out a living.

The Hong Kong Poverty Situation Report 2015, the most recent government study, set the poverty lines for households of one and two persons at HK$3,800 and HK$8,800 respectively. Yet a 2014 Oxfam Hong Kong study estimated basic monthly living expenses for those living alone stood at about HK$7,344. For two people, they came to HK$9,083.

Concern groups say that since the poverty line does not take into account the actual cost of living, the number of impoverished people is really much higher. The government needs to raise the poverty line and the means test limits for welfare, they argue.

A cornerstone of the election platform of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, the poverty line was established in 2013, categorising and defining the city’s poor population for the first time.

Street sleepers are not uncommon in Hong Kong. Photo: Felix Wong

Based on relative poverty, the line is drawn at half of median household income according to household size.