The Government is committed to maintaining a caring and just society. To engender a social environment that promotes harmony, it continues to place emphasis on family solidarity, fosters mutual care in the community and promotes partnership among different segments of the community. While ensuring a safety net of last resort for those in need, it also encourages them to be self-reliant and actively participate in economic and social life.

The Social Welfare Advisory Committee, the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee, the Elderly Commission and the Women's Commission advise the Government on social welfare policy. The Health, Welfare and Food Bureau is responsible for formulating welfare policies and overseeing their implementation which is executed by the Social Welfare Department (SWD).

In 2006, the total recurrent expenditure of the SWD was $32.2 billion, of which $23.1 billion (71.7 per cent) was for financial assistance payments, $6.4 billion (19.9 per cent) for recurrent subventions to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the remaining $2.7 billion (8.4 per cent) for departmental expenditure, including $500 million for hire of services.