Maintenance Mediation Pilot Scheme
Background
The Government is committed to enhancing the effectiveness of the system for collecting maintenance payments and enforcing maintenance orders. In this regard, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) launches the Maintenance Mediation Pilot Scheme in October 2024 through the Community Care Fund to subsidise a non-governmental organisation in providing mediation services on maintenance to people in need who are eligible for the Pilot Scheme (including maintenance payers and payees), so as to assist the parties concerned to resolve disputes on the related matters through mediation.
The three-year Pilot Scheme is expected to process a total of 1,200 cases, benefiting 2,400 separating or divorcing persons.
Beneficiaries
Parties involved in maintenance payment disputes are eligible to apply for the Pilot Scheme free of charge provided that one of the parties (applicant) is a Hong Kong resident and meets the following criteria. The practice could encourage the defaulting party to participate in mediation.
(1) The applicant is a recipient of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme; or
(2) The applicant is a full-rate allowance recipient of the Working Family Allowance Scheme; or
(3) The applicant is a full-level assistance recipient of Student Financial Assistance Schemes (including the School Textbook Assistance Scheme/ the Student Travel Subsidy Scheme/ the Subsidy Scheme for Internet Access Charges); or
(4) Applicant not meeting criteria (1) to (3) above but belongs to a low-income family, that is, himself/herself and the household members residing with him/her earn a monthly household income of no more than the specified income limit applicable to the corresponding household size (Please refer to the table below):
Monthly Household Income Limit
| Household Size | Monthly Income Limit(HK$) |
| 1 | 15,800 |
| 2 | 22,500 |
| 3 | 26,500 |
| 4 | 34,100 |
| 5 | 43,600 |
| 6 or above | 46,100 |
Note: The service operator will ask applicants for income proof.
Considering that some people not meeting the above criteria may also have the need to apply for the Pilot Scheme, the service operator will also provide mediation service to people in need who do not meet the aforementioned criteria under reasonable circumstances.
Details of the Pilot Scheme
The Government has appointed the Hong Kong Family Welfare Society (HKFWS) as the service operator of the Pilot Scheme. For more details of the Pilot Scheme, please visit the thematic website or contact the HKFWS.
For enquiry, please contact HKFWS at (852) 2561 9229.