Hong Kong Public Housing 2026: New Income Limits, Priority Schemes and Tenant Rules

New limits take effect on April 1

A four person household applying for Hong Kong public rental housing can have monthly income of up to HK$32,020 and net assets of up to HK$608,000 under limits effective from April 1, 2026. For someone applying alone, the ceilings are HK$13,230 a month and HK$295,000 in net assets.

The Housing Authority's Subsidised Housing Committee approved the 2026/27 limits on March 26, 2026. Income ceilings rise by an average of 2.8%, while asset ceilings increase by 1.4% for all household sizes. These application limits are separate from the much higher thresholds used to decide whether existing tenants must pay extra rent or leave public housing.

The changes come as the Housing Authority's combined waiting time for general applicants, including families and elderly applicants applying alone, stood at 5.1 years at the end of December 2025. During 2025, more than 20,000 general applicants received traditional public rental housing, nearly 6,300 more than the 14,500 new general applications registered that year. That balance does not establish how quickly any particular household will receive a flat.

In the Housing Authority's March 26 announcement, an unnamed spokesman explained the annual review process:

The PRH income and asset limits are reviewed annually according to the established mechanism.

For applicants, the immediate task is to check the correct household category, count income and assets accurately, and establish whether an elderly or newborn priority scheme applies. For existing tenants, the important distinction is between routine declarations, additional rent and the circumstances requiring departure.

What are the application limits?

The Housing Authority's income and asset limits set the following ceilings from April 1, 2026. Each entry gives monthly household income followed by total household net assets, in Hong Kong dollars.

• One person: HK$13,230 income; HK$295,000 assets.
• Two people: HK$20,680 income; HK$400,000 assets.
• Three people: HK$25,870 income; HK$521,000 assets.
• Four people: HK$32,020 income; HK$608,000 assets.
• Five people: HK$40,150 income; HK$675,000 assets.
• Six people: HK$46,620 income; HK$731,000 assets.
• Seven people: HK$51,400 income; HK$781,000 assets.
• Eight people: HK$57,470 income; HK$816,000 assets.
• Nine people: HK$63,380 income; HK$904,000 assets.
• Ten or more people: HK$69,150 income; HK$974,000 assets.

Statutory contributions to the Mandatory Provident Fund or a Provident Fund Scheme can be deducted when declaring income. Applicants should distinguish these permitted deductions from other spending: ordinary household expenses do not automatically reduce declared income.

The income formula estimates housing and other living costs, then adds a 5% contingency provision. Housing costs use private accommodation rents per square metre and reference flat sizes based on public rental flats allocated during the preceding three years.

Other living costs draw on the Census and Statistics Department's latest Household Expenditure Survey. Between surveys, the adjustment uses either movements in Consumer Price Index (A), excluding housing costs, or the nominal wage index, whichever is higher. Asset limits are adjusted using annual movements in Consumer Price Index (A). The 2.8% income increase is an average, not a uniform increase for every household size.

Elderly households have different asset allowances

When every family member is aged 60 or above, the ordinary application asset ceiling doubles. The resulting limits are HK$590,000 for one person, HK$800,000 for two, HK$1,042,000 for three, HK$1,216,000 for four, HK$1,350,000 for five, HK$1,462,000 for six, HK$1,562,000 for seven, HK$1,632,000 for eight, HK$1,808,000 for nine and HK$1,948,000 for ten or more.

Separate limits apply to unrelated elderly people applying together. Their monthly income and net asset ceilings are:

• Two people: HK$24,820 income; HK$800,000 assets.
• Three people: HK$31,040 income; HK$1,042,000 assets.
• Four people: HK$38,420 income; HK$1,216,000 assets.
• Five people: HK$48,180 income; HK$1,350,000 assets.
• Six people: HK$58,940 income; HK$1,462,000 assets.
• Seven people: HK$61,680 income; HK$1,562,000 assets.
• Eight people: HK$68,960 income; HK$1,632,000 assets.
• Nine people: HK$76,060 income; HK$1,808,000 assets.
• Ten or more people: HK$82,980 income; HK$1,948,000 assets.

For example, two unrelated elderly applicants have a monthly income ceiling of HK$24,820, compared with HK$20,680 for an ordinary two person family, a difference of HK$4,140. Their HK$800,000 asset ceiling is the same as that of a two person family whose members are both at least 60.

Who can apply and who is excluded?

The applicant must be at least 18. The government's 1823 eligibility guidance states that applicants and household members must reside in Hong Kong and have the right to land without conditions of stay, except conditions concerning the limit of stay.

At least half the household must have lived in Hong Kong for seven years by allocation, and all members must still reside in Hong Kong. Married people listed in an application generally must apply with their spouses. Exceptions include divorce, a court application for divorce, widowhood and a spouse without the right to land in Hong Kong, with supporting proof required.

Ordinary family applications must involve permitted relationships, such as spouses, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, unmarried siblings or a dependent relative willing to live with the applicant. Members under 18 must apply with a parent or legal guardian. Restrictions also apply to including married children or grandchildren.

From completing the application until signing the tenancy agreement, applicants and household members must not own or hold an interest in Hong Kong domestic property. The restriction also covers a valid agreement to buy such property and ownership of more than half the shares in a company that owns it.

The listed exclusions include existing Housing Authority or Housing Society rental tenants; duplicate applicants or people included in another general or quota and points application; current and former owners, joint owners or borrowers under subsidised home ownership schemes and their spouses; recipients of specified clearance or redevelopment compensation; and recipients of specified welfare payments for elderly people choosing to live in mainland China.

A two year restriction also applies after certain public housing tenancies terminated on or after January 1, 2006 for tenancy breaches or estate management points violations. It covers the former tenant and members aged 18 or above when the tenancy ended, subject to an interim housing exception.

These restrictions require careful attention to individual status. The 1823 guidance says family members of subsidised ownership flats may apply once their names are deleted from the relevant records, if otherwise eligible. Buyers who cancelled a purchase before receiving subsidised assistance may also qualify after executing the cancellation agreement.

Four routes to priority processing

The Single Elderly Persons Priority Scheme accepts applicants aged at least 58 when applying, provided they reach 60 by allocation. Eligible applications receive priority processing over ordinary family applications, and applicants may choose any of the four allocation districts.

The Elderly Persons Priority Scheme allows two or more elderly people, including unrelated people, to apply together if they undertake to share a flat. Everyone must be at least 58 at application and 60 at allocation. Unrelated applicants must sign or stamp the application form together. This route also provides priority over ordinary family applications.

Under the Harmonious Families Priority Scheme, eligible families can live with an elderly parent or dependent relative aged 60 or above in one flat, or seek two nearby flats in the same district. Applicants must agree to the relevant care and living arrangements. The scheme provides six months of priority processing.

Published descriptions differ on location choices. The 1823 page says Harmonious Families applicants may choose any of four districts, while the application description places the two flat arrangement outside urban districts. Families seeking two flats should confirm the applicable location restriction with the Housing Department before selecting an area.

The Families with Newborns Allocation Priority Scheme credits one year of waiting time to eligible family applications containing a child born on or after October 25, 2023. The child must be added on or before the first birthday. Both new applications and existing applications adding an eligible baby can qualify.

Twins or multiple eligible babies do not produce more than one year of credit. A household qualifying for both the newborn scheme and Harmonious Families receives one year in total, not eighteen months. These measures change processing priority or credited waiting time; they do not guarantee allocation on a particular date.

How to submit an application

Applying for public rental housing is free. The application form is HD300E, accompanied by the information booklet HD273. They are available from estate offices, the Housing Department's Applications Sub-section and Home Affairs public enquiry centres, or through the Housing Authority and Housing Department website.

The Applications Sub-section is at Podium Level 2, Hong Kong Housing Authority Customer Service Centre, 3 Wang Tau Hom South Road, Kowloon. Forms can also be requested by post at P.O. Box 89192, Kowloon City Post Office, with a clearly addressed return envelope and sufficient postage.

Applicants must return the completed form, supporting documents and declarations within the specified three month submission period for an initial eligibility review. A completed application is not an allocation promise. Income, assets, household composition and property status must continue to meet the relevant requirements.

The Housing Authority's general enquiry hotline is 2712 2712. Households considering a priority scheme should establish the age, relationship, declaration and location requirements before submitting their application.

Existing tenants face separate declaration rules

The Housing Authority's tenant declaration rules generally require income and asset reporting every two years after ten years in public rental housing. Households granted a new tenancy under specified tenancy policies must declare every two years regardless of residence length; their first review may occur sooner.

Occupancy reporting is a separate obligation. Declaration forms are issued in April and October in batches. Households outside the income and asset declaration cycle generally report occupancy and Hong Kong domestic property ownership every two years after admission.

Exemptions from income and asset declarations include households whose members are all at least 60, all receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, or all eligible for or receiving Disability Allowance. Households combining these qualifying categories, and shared tenancies, are also exempt. Exempt households still report occupancy, although the policy page says they do not have to make the property ownership declaration.

For the October 2026 declaration round, a November 30 deadline has been reported, with submission through estate offices or a form's QR code using iAM Smart+ electronic signing. Tenants should check their own notice rather than treat that date as a universal deadline.

Declared income can include earnings before tax, employer allowances, business income, pensions, investment returns and specified financial support. Assets can include cash, deposits, investments, businesses, vehicles, property and land. Specified retirement lump sums, compensation for loss of earning capacity, death related payments and critical illness insurance claims may be deductible under the stated conditions.

Higher rent and the thresholds for departure

The Housing Authority's April 2026 policy leaflet, HD1120C, sets out the applicable tenant thresholds. Income above twice and up to three times the application limit attracts 2.5 times net rent plus rates. Above three and up to four times attracts 3.5 times net rent plus rates. Above four and up to five times attracts 4.5 times net rent plus rates.

The upper boundaries are inclusive. For a four person household, the published monthly bands are HK$64,041 to HK$96,060, HK$96,061 to HK$128,080, and HK$128,081 to HK$160,100. Income exceeding HK$160,100 requires departure, subject to applicable exceptions. Remaining above four times and no more than five times the limit for two consecutive declaration cycles, four years, also requires departure.

General household asset ceilings requiring departure when exceeded are HK$1.33 million for one person, HK$2.07 million for two, HK$2.59 million for three, HK$3.21 million for four, HK$4.02 million for five, HK$4.67 million for six, HK$5.14 million for seven, HK$5.75 million for eight, HK$6.34 million for nine and HK$6.92 million for ten or more. Tenants should use the published amounts rather than substitute the application asset ceiling.

For households of one to three people whose members are all over 55, the asset ceiling is HK$3.21 million. Their monthly income departure thresholds remain HK$66,150, HK$103,400 and HK$129,350 respectively. This age rule differs from the age 60 application allowance and declaration exemption.

Households with a member eligible for or receiving Disability Allowance may apply to continue renting despite exceeding income or asset limits, provided they have no Hong Kong domestic property. Income above five times the limit attracts 4.5 times net rent plus rates or market rent, whichever is higher. Eligible households whose income subsequently falls for three consecutive months, or permanently, may apply for lower rent if the other conditions are met.

Property purchases, penalties and temporary stays

Hong Kong domestic property ownership normally requires tenants to leave, regardless of income or assets. The definition includes ownership interests, valid purchase agreements, majority ownership of a property holding company and certain inherited property interests. A newly acquired property must be reported within one month of entering an agreement, including a preliminary agreement.

Implementation rules effective from March 31, 2025 allow tenants who have agreed to buy private domestic property or subsidised sale flats to remain until the relevant assignment and possession arrangements, followed by surrender of the rental flat or deletion of the purchasing member. This is a temporary transition, not permission to retain both homes indefinitely.

False declarations or omissions may lead to prosecution under the Housing Ordinance. The maximum penalty on conviction is HK$50,000 and six months in prison. The Housing Authority may recover undercharged rent and terminate the tenancy. Failure or refusal to provide required declarations can also require departure.

Reports differ on the five year application ban: one description extends it to the tenant and family members after moving out. The official policy instead places the restriction for false declarations on the household member responsible. The distinction matters where other members remain eligible.

The Housing Authority cites section 19(1)(b) of the Housing Ordinance for termination notices. A household with temporary housing needs may receive a Fixed Term Licence for up to four months, paying 4.5 times net rent plus rates or market rent, whichever is higher. This does not trigger a fresh eligibility assessment. A household required to leave because a false declaration concealed ineligibility cannot obtain this licence.

Implementation dates and ownership options

The Housing Authority's 2025 committee paper recorded about 42,300 tenants paying additional rent at the end of December 2024, approximately 5.2% of public rental households. Its reform package paired higher rents with measures supporting moves into subsidised ownership.

The change is substantial: the lowest additional rent multiplier rises from 1.5 to 2.5 times net rent. For households above four and up to five times the income limit, it rises from twice to 4.5 times net rent. These comparisons concern net rent, with rates charged separately.

The policy timetable separates declaration cycles from when revised rent becomes payable:

• March 31, 2025: revised implementation arrangements took effect.
• October 2025: tightened rules began with this declaration cycle.
• April 1, 2026: revised application limits and tenant thresholds took effect.
• October 1, 2026: the committee paper scheduled new rents for the October 2025 declaration cohort.
• April 1, 2027: it scheduled new rents for the April 2026 cohort.
• September 30, 2029: it listed the departure deadline for the October 2025 cohort remaining in the highest band across two cycles.
• March 31, 2030: it listed the corresponding deadline for the April 2026 cohort.

The committee paper presented these dates subject to endorsement; the current policy page confirms implementation from the October 2025 cycle. Individual households should confirm their effective dates with their estate office.

Eligible tenants paying additional rent can apply before voluntarily leaving for a Green Form Certificate valid for four years, allowing access to specified subsidised ownership purchases. Applications are not accepted after tenancy termination or delivery of vacant possession. The committee package also provided for the Home Ownership Scheme Green Form allocation share to rise from 40% to 50%. Declaration enquiries can be directed to the Public Housing Resources Management Sub-section on 3547 0881 during office hours.

Key Points

• Application income limits rise by an average of 2.8% and asset limits by 1.4% from April 1, 2026.
• A four person applicant household faces ceilings of HK$32,020 monthly income and HK$608,000 net assets.
• Families whose members are all at least 60 receive double the ordinary application asset allowance.
• Elderly and newborn schemes offer priority processing or waiting time credit, not a guaranteed allocation date.
• Existing tenants face separate declaration rules, rent multipliers and departure thresholds.
• False declarations can lead to prosecution, rent recovery, tenancy termination and restrictions on the responsible member.
• Eligible tenants seeking a four year Green Form Certificate must apply before leaving their public rental flat.