The Macao government has announced a substantial increase across all seven categories of pensions and allowances under the city’s social security system, with some adjustments taking effect retrospectively from 1 January this year.
The Social Security Fund (FSS) oversees these payments, which include old-age and disability pensions, alongside unemployment, sickness, birth, marriage, and funeral allowances.
The increases were formalised in an executive order signed by Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai on 20 June and published yesterday in the Macao government’s Boletim Oficial (official gazette). This marks the first time the amounts have been raised since January 2020.
[See more: Urging ‘crisis awareness,’ Sam Hou Fai says Macao could face a budget deficit]
Both the old-age and disability pensions have risen by 4.3 per cent to 3,900 patacas per month, up from 3,740 patacas. These pensions are disbursed quarterly, meaning beneficiaries receive a payment equivalent to three months’ worth of their pension at each distribution.
The unemployment allowance has seen a 4.7 per cent increase, reaching 157 patacas per day from 150 patacas. Sickness allowance for non-hospitalised individuals is now 119 patacas per day, a 4.4 per cent rise from 114 patacas, while the allowance for hospitalised individuals has increased by 4.7 per cent to 157 patacas per day, up from 150 patacas.
Notably, the birth allowance, a one-off payment, has increased by 20 per cent, from 5,418 patacas to 6,500 patacas. The marriage allowance, also a one-off payment, has risen by 4.6 per cent to 2,220 patacas from 2,122 patacas. The one-off funeral allowance has also seen an increase of 4.4 per cent, now standing at 2,870 patacas, up from 2,750 patacas.
This article was drafted by AI before being reviewed by an editor.
