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Benefits for officers died while in service

The following types of benefits may be provided to the dependants of an officer who dies while in service for non-duty-related causes:

  1. Death Benefits/Retirement Benefits
    • If the officer was appointed on pensionable terms and has at least two years of service before his death, a death gratuity is payable under the relevant Hong Kong pensions legislation to the spouse (if the officer has made a valid nomination for the spouse to receive the death gratuity before his death in accordance with the pensions legislation) or otherwise the estate of the officer. An ex-gratia payment is payable in respect of an officer with less than two years of service before his death.
    • If the officer was appointed on agreement terms, his accrued mandatory provident fund (MPF) benefits and the contract gratuity for service completed (if applicable) and any untaken vacation leave earned will be payable.
    • If the officer was appointed on the new probationary or new agreement terms on or after 1 June 2000 under the new civil service entry system, a death payment of 12 months' final salary, his accrued MPF benefits and the contract gratuity for service completed (if applicable) will be payable.
    • If the officer was appointed on the new permanent terms on or after 1 June 2000 under the new civil service entry system, a death payment of 16 months' final salary and his accrued civil service provident fund benefits will be payable.
  2. Salary for any untaken vacation leave.
  3. A pension to the surviving spouse and dependent children under the Widows and Orphans Pension Ordinance or the Surviving Spouses' and Children's Pensions Ordinance, if the officer was a contributor to either one of the schemes before his death or if he had preserved benefits in the schemes.
  4. Housing allowances including Home Purchase Allowance, Home Financing Allowance, Private Tenancy Allowance, Accommodation Allowance, Rent Allowance and Non-accountable Cash Allowance are payable to the surviving family for a period of three months, or the amount of leave earned by the deceased officer, whichever is the greater.
  5. The surviving family of a deceased officer occupying departmental quarters and whose salary at the time of his death meets the income criterion of the Civil Service Public Housing Quota may apply for public housing under the Quota subject to the family meeting the prevailing eligibility criteria.

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