The overall Comprehensive Social Security Assistance caseload was 284,182 in November, up 0.4% or 1,141 cases over October, with a total of 475,052 recipients, the Social Welfare Department says.

Compared with last month, jobless cases rose 1.4% to 31,442. Single-parent cases increased 0.5% to 36,216. Low-earning cases were up 1%, to 16,188.

Total government spending on CSSA payments was about $18 billion for 2007-08.