Seniors, Claim Your Money! Elderly Love Card Upgraded: 'Monthly 700 NTD Allowance Until Passing,' Eligible Residents in One County Can Receive Funds Simply by Holding the Card

The Miaoli County Government is actively advancing elderly welfare policies, with approximately 80,000 Elderly Love Cards currently issued across the county. Each senior receives a monthly allowance of 700 points (1 point = 1 NTD), previously used mainly for railway and bus transportation. Starting in June this year, the card’s usage expanded to include taxis, and in July, it was further extended to purchases at farmers’ associations.

To enhance flexibility in point usage, the county government plans to integrate the previous 200-point taxi allowance and 100-point farmers’ association benefit into a unified 300-point cross-application system—a move receiving significant attention from local residents and county councilors.

When will this highly anticipated universal system launch? Miaoli County Social Affairs Director Zhang Guo-Dong explained that due to technical integration between different systems, related operations are underway, with full implementation expected by the end of the year. Once integrated, seniors will enjoy significantly greater flexibility in how they use their points.

Why can’t the card be used at convenience stores? The county magistrate revealed the strategic rationale behind the policy. In response to local representatives requesting expansion to convenience stores or allowing healthy seniors aged 65–70 to ride YouBikes, Magistrate Chung Tung-Jin stated, “The Elderly Love Card isn’t purely a welfare program—it’s intentionally designed to support agricultural policy.” Unrestricted access to convenience stores would undermine local farmers’ associations’ competitiveness. The policy deliberately guides seniors to visit farmers’ associations to boost income for local farmers.

Magistrate Chung added that even after the 300-point universal system launches, there will be limits on farmers’ association spending—usage restricted to once per week, with a maximum deduction of 100 NTD per transaction. He emphasized that these seemingly inconvenient rules aim to encourage seniors to go out more frequently. For example, if a senior buys rice priced at 250 NTD, they can deduct 100 NTD via points and pay 150 NTD out-of-pocket, thereby stimulating local consumption.

Regarding proposals to expand usage to convenience stores or YouBikes, Director Zhang noted that since the card operates on a card-based rather than person-based verification system, allowing such expansions could lead to misuse (e.g., lending cards to others), undermining the original intent of supporting seniors. Thus, further study is required.

Challenges also exist in taxi service availability. Some county councilors reported constituents unable to use the card despite having available points—such as failing to find a single taxi accepting the card after five consecutive attempts at Miaoli Railway Station. The situation may be worse in rural areas.

Director Zhang explained that each taxi must install dedicated equipment costing 10,000–20,000 NTD. Larger fleets, able to front the costs, show higher willingness to participate, whereas smaller operators and individual drivers are less inclined. The county will continue coordinating with taxi companies and drivers to expand service coverage and resolve transportation difficulties for seniors.

Eligibility for Miaoli County Elderly Love Card: - Miaoli County residents aged 65 or older - Indigenous people aged 55 or older - Foreign nationals aged 65 or older with permanent residency residing within the county

Subsidy Amount: - Monthly allocation of 700 social welfare points (1 point = 1 NTD) - Points valid only for the month issued; unused points do not carry over

How to Apply: Seniors should prepare the following documents and apply in person at any township, urban, or municipal office in Miaoli County: - National ID card - Personal seal - Two recent 2-inch half-body photos (taken within the last year) - Documentation proving indigenous identity and tribe (if applicable) - Disability certificate (if applicable) - Copy of student ID (front and back, if applicable) - If applying through a proxy: proxy’s national ID and seal

Usage Scope: - Buses (excluding intercity express buses): Available on services operated by Miaoli Bus, Hsinchu Bus, Fengyuan Bus, Giant Arts Transportation, Gold Medal Bus, Taiwan True Small Vehicle Rental Co., Ltd., and I-Chieh Integrated Technology Co., Ltd. - Taiwan Railways (TRA): Applicable when either departure or arrival station is within Miaoli County. Can be used on commuter trains, commuter express,莒guang-hao, and PP push-pull Tzu-Chiang trains. Maximum subsidy per trip: 100 points (NTD) - Taxis: Since June 1, seniors receive up to 100 points per ride, capped at 200 points per month - Farmers’ Associations: Since July, seniors receive up to 100 points per month for shopping at farmers’ associations