Media

HKU Faculty of Law to present results and observations from “Questionnaire Survey on Ascertaining the need for Special Needs Trusts in Hong Kong”

05 Jan 2017

According to government statistics, between 71,000 and 101,000 people in Hong Kong have intellectual disability. As existing mechanisms for the financial planning for these individuals are limited, many parents are concerned that after their passing, the care for their children with intellectual disability would be upset. Following the 2016 Policy Address of the Hong Kong Government, the Labour and Welfare Bureau is exploring the feasibility of setting up a trust to provide affordable financial services to these individuals. A Special Needs Trust (SNT) can reduce the cost of administration by pooling funds contributed by parents.

Between March and May 2016, the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong and the Concern Group of Guardianship System and Financial Affairs* jointly carried out a questionnaire survey of parent opinions on setting up an SNT in Hong Kong.  The survey received an overwhelming response of over 2,500 valid returns.  Their responses provided representative and useful information concerning the feasibility of introducing an SNT in Hong Kong as well as the operational design of such an SNT. 

Professor Lusina Ho and Associate Professor Ms Rebecca Lee of the Faculty of Law will in the press conference present the key findings and observations of the survey. The press conference will also provide an excellent opportunity to reflect upon ways to enhance the financial mechanisms for managing assets for the benefit of individuals with intellectual disability. Details are as follows:

Date: January 10, 2017 (Tuesday)
Time: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Venue: Moot Court, 2/F, Cheng Yu Tung Tower, Centennial Campus, the University of Hong Kong (Exit C1, HKU MTR station)
Organisers: Faculty of Law, the University of Hong Kong & The Concern Group of Guardianship System and Financial Affairs
Moderator: Ms Anna Lee
Language: Cantonese

The report can be downloaded (after 12:30pm on January 10) at: http://snt.support/.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Ms Scarlette Cheung, Faculty of Law, HKU (Tel: 39172919; Email: scarlettecheung@hku.hk); or Ms Melanie Wan, Communications and Public Affairs Office, HKU (tel: 2859 2600; Email: melwkwan@hku.hk).

* The Concern Group of Guardianship System and Financial Affairs is established by a group of parents and caregivers of persons with intellectual disability.  Its mission is to strive for a better adult guardianship system through examining its current weaknesses and seeking for improvements of the policies and institutions pertaining to adult guardianship.  It is hoped that these efforts will enhance personal care and financial management arrangements for individuals with intellectual disability in Hong Kong.