The overall Comprehensive Social Security Assistance caseload dropped by 1,283 cases to 201,977 in September, down 0.6% from August, the Social Welfare Department announced today.

The total number of recipients was 276,591.

Low-earnings cases registered a month-to-month decrease of 2.2% to 1,658. Unemployment cases dipped 0.9% to 17,473.

Single parent cases dropped 1.5% to 21,126, while old age cases declined 0.5% to 112,996. Permanent disability cases dropped 0.3%, to 17,204.

Meanwhile, ill-health cases decreased slightly, by 0.2%, to 27,583.