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The Chinese University of Hong Kong’s (CUHK) Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies conducted a telephone survey from 28 May to 24 June 2024 to study citizens’ views on the wealth disparity in Hong Kong. The findings showed that 68.7% of the respondents considered the problem of the disparity between the rich and the poor to be serious, a rise of 9.1 percentage points compared to a similar survey conducted last year. The survey also found that 80.7% of respondents believed that the government should do more to address the problem of the disparity.

In addition to the 68.7% of respondents who believed that the problem of the disparity between the rich and the poor in Hong Kong was serious, an increase of 9.1 percentage points compared to last year’s survey. 24.6% opined that the situation was “in-between”, a decrease of 5.9 percentage points compared to last year. Only 4.9% of respondents felt that the situation was not serious, a decrease of 3.2 percentage points compared to last year. The Chi-square test showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the percentage distribution between the two surveys.

40.4% of respondents thought that the problem of wealth disparity was more severe now compared to five years ago, a rise of 8.0 percentage points compared to last year’s survey. 44.3% of respondents believed that the situation was about the same, a decrease of 5.3 percentage points compared to last year. 11.6% of respondents thought that the problem had improved, a decrease of 2.3 percentage points compared to last year. The Chi-square test indicated a statistically significant difference in the percentage distribution between the two surveys.

Regarding estimation of income inequality in the next five years, 38.8% of respondents believed that the situation would remain about the same, 34.6% expected it to be more severe and 20.9% believed that it would improve. Compared to last year’s survey, the percentages of respondents who thought that the situation would remain about the same or improve had not changed much (38.8% and 21.4% respectively in 2023), while the proportion of respondents who believed it would be more severe increased by 5.6 percentage points and that of respondents who replied don’t know or hard to say this year decreased by 5.0 percent points. The Chi-square test indicated a statistically significant difference in the percentage distribution between the two surveys.

The survey also found that 10.2% of the respondents said that their current household income was not enough to cover their daily expenses, an increase of 3.0 percentage points from the last survey; 38.5% answered that it was just enough, a rise of 5.9 percentage points from the previous survey; 37.4% and 11.5% responded quite sufficient and entirely sufficient respectively, which were 6.7 and 0.2 percentage points respectively lower than the corresponding figure in the last survey. The Chi-square test indicated a statistically significant difference in the percentage distribution between the two surveys.

When respondents were asked whether poverty was mainly caused by personal factors (such as laziness and insufficient ability) or social factors (such as an unfair system and monopoly of resources), 37.4% answered social factors, a decrease of 3.7 percentage points from the last survey; 33.2% replied personal factors, an increase of 10.0 percentage points from the last survey; and 26.2% said both, an increase of 1.8 percentage points from the last survey. The Chi-square test again indicated that the percentage distribution difference over the two years was statistically significant.

Faced with the current wealth disparity in Hong Kong, 80.7% of respondents believed that the government should do more to address the problem, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from last year’s survey. 7.9% thought that no change was needed, a decrease of 3.8 percentage points from last year, while only 5.3% felt that less should be done, an increase of 3.5 percentage points from last year. The Chi-square test showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the percentage distribution between the two surveys. When those who said the government should do more were asked in what areas (each respondent could choose up to two answers), 55.4% answered education, 48.7% chose public housing and 44.2% said healthcare.

When asked whether they agreed they should pay more tax to help the poor, 52.7% of respondents agreed, an increase of 4.3 percentage points from last year’s survey; 35.6% disagreed, an increase of 1.1 percentage points from last year; and 11.8% replied don’t know or hard to say, a drop of 5.4 percentage points from last year. The Chi-square test indicated that the percentage distribution difference over the two years was statistically significant.

The survey employed a dual-frame sampling design that included both landline and mobile phone numbers A total of 705 respondents aged 18 or above (landline: 172; mobile: 533) were successfully interviewed, with a response rate of 49.3% (landline: 49.6%; mobile: 49.2%).  The sampling error was estimated at plus or minus 3.69 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Furthermore, the data in this survey was weighted based on the probability of the respondents being selected via a dual-frame sampling design and on the latest information on the age-sex distribution of the population published by the Census and Statistics Department.