Hong Kong’s government has announced that it’s handing out HK$10,000 to every adult citizen. This free gift (worth about £1,000) is meant as a shot in the arm for an economy besieged by political instability and the coronavirus.

To date, it’s the most significant example of helicopter money — but if a pandemic pushes the world into economic crisis, many other governments could resort to the same measure.

From late last year, here’s our plain English guide to helicopter money and what it might mean for you…