Where your tax goes

Community and External Affairs

Community, culture and sport

The Government plans to spend HK$28.0 billion on Community and External Affairs in 2026-27, 3.1% more than last year's revised estimate. p.12

Number 9 of the ten groups, with 3.3% of government spending (our calculation). p.12

Of HK$1,120 in tax, about HK$37 corresponds to this group. p.12 Change amount

Main spending at a glance

2026-27 budget · change from last year · your share SourcesSummary of expenditure, p.3Summary of expenditure, p.1Summary of expenditure, p.2Budget Appendix B, p.12

  1. Leisure and Cultural Services Department HK$12.4bn ▲2.3% · HK$16
  2. Government Secretariat: Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau HK$5.6bn ▲12.2% · HK$7.5
  3. Home Affairs Department HK$4.0bn ▲5.2% · HK$5.3
  4. Government Secretariat: Home and Youth Affairs Bureau HK$1.3bn ▲11.3% · HK$1.7

These are selected lines and can overlap. Some departments and funds also cover other groups, so do not add them together. Changes and personal shares are our calculation.

This is a split by budget share. Taxes are not set aside for particular uses. How we split it

Explore the detail

Main departments

Main departments

2026-27 budgets; changes against last year's revised estimate (our calculation). SourcesSummary of expenditure, p.3Summary of expenditure, p.2Summary of expenditure, p.1

  1. Leisure and Cultural Services Department HK$12.4bn ▲2.3% · HK$16
  2. Home Affairs Department HK$4.0bn ▲5.2% · HK$5.3
  3. Government Secretariat: Home and Youth Affairs Bureau Part of this department's spending counts in other groups HK$1.3bn ▲11.3% · HK$1.7
  4. Government Secretariat: Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau Part of this department's spending counts in other groups HK$5.6bn ▲12.2% · HK$7.5
See last year's figures

Compare with last year SourcesSummary of expenditure, p.3Summary of expenditure, p.2Summary of expenditure, p.1

Item2026-27EstimateChange2025-26Revised estimate
Leisure and Cultural Services DepartmentHK$12.4bn12,366.5+HK$283m · +2.3%12,083.0
Home Affairs DepartmentHK$4.0bn3,957.9+HK$197m · +5.2%3,760.9
Government Secretariat: Home and Youth Affairs BureauHK$1.3bn1,310.8+HK$133m · +11.3%1,177.4
Government Secretariat: Culture, Sports and Tourism BureauHK$5.6bn5,611.4+HK$610m · +12.2%5,001.6
Three years: actual, revised estimate, estimate

Spending over three years SourcesBudget Appendix B, p.12Budget Appendix B, p.9Budget Appendix B, p.11

Expanded amounts are in HK$ million; percentages come from Budget Appendix B.

Measure2026-27EstimateChange2025-26Revised estimate2024-25Actual
Government expenditureHK$28.0bn27,990+HK$830m · +3.1%27,16030,374
Recurrent spendingHK$18.9bn18,913+HK$495m · +2.7%18,41818,039
Public expenditureHK$28.0bn27,990+HK$830m · +3.1%27,16030,374

Recurrent spending covers yearly costs such as pay, grants and allowances. Public expenditure also includes the Housing Authority and trading funds.

Policy areas and departments

Department figures are whole budgets and can include other policy areas. Do not add them together as this group's spending. Index of Policy Areas

Recreation, Culture, Amenities and Entertainment Licensing

Departments that contribute

SourcesSummary of expenditure, p.3Summary of expenditure, p.1Summary of expenditure, p.2

  1. Leisure and Cultural Services Department HK$12.4bn
  2. Government Secretariat: Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau Part of this department's spending: it also works in 2 other policy areas HK$5.6bn
  3. Civil Engineering and Development Department Part of this department's spending: it also works in 6 other policy areas HK$4.2bn
  4. Electrical and Mechanical Services Department Part of this department's spending: it also works in 6 other policy areas HK$1.4bn
  5. Government Secretariat: Home and Youth Affairs Bureau Part of this department's spending: it also works in 2 other policy areas HK$1.3bn
  6. Office for Film, Newspaper and Article Administration Part of this department's spending: it also works in 1 other policy area HK$60.2m
District and Community Relations

Departments that contribute

SourcesSummary of expenditure, p.3Estimates, Head 170, p.19Summary of expenditure, p.2

  1. Social Welfare Department Part of this department's spending: it also works in 2 other policy areas HK$132.9bn
  2. of which: Community Development HK$221m
  3. Home Affairs Department HK$4.0bn
  4. Government Secretariat: Home and Youth Affairs Bureau Part of this department's spending: it also works in 2 other policy areas HK$1.3bn
Measures in the Budget Speech

Measures are grouped by topic here. Earmarks, injections and amounts spread over several years are different from this year's spending.

  1. Injection into the sports portion of the Arts and Sport Development Fund

    HK$1.2 billion p.66Paid into a fund, which spends it over time

  2. More money for the international youth exchange funding scheme

    HK$60 million p.79Additional funding

How are shares and changes calculated?

Personal share = your tax amount × the spending line ÷ total government expenditure. Lines can overlap and should not be added together. p.12

Nominal changes for groups come from Budget Appendix B. Changes for individual lines compare this year's estimate with last year's revised estimate and are our calculation. p.12