The overall Comprehensive Social Security Assistance caseload dropped by 454 cases to 201,523 in October, down 0.2% from September, the Social Welfare Department announced today.

The total number of recipients was 275,522.

Low-earnings cases registered a month-to-month reduction of 1% to 1,641. Single parent cases also decreased 1% to 20,915.

Unemployment cases fell 0.4% to 17,403.

Old age cases and permanent disability cases each dipped 0.2%, to 112,825 and 17,168 cases.

Meanwhile, ill-health cases increased 0.2% to 27,646.