One of the important roles of the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau is to enhance liaison and communication with all sectors of the community including the Legislative Council and the general public.

The SCA's functions included the protection of women and girls, permits, registration of books and marriages, emigration, plague hospitals, temples, cemeteries and Chinese clubs and societies.

On 1 January 1922 the SCA acquired the functions of protector of child labour and inspector of factories, and an Industrial sub-department was established to administer these.

In 1973 the SHA's liquor licensing functions were moved to the Urban Services Department, while the Narcotics Division was transferred to the Security Branch of the Colonial Secretariat.

It was organised into four Divisions (General and Traditional, Lands, Information, Television and Film), a Trust Funds Section, Chinese Language Branch, Public Relations Unit, Tenancy Enquiry Bureaux, and Offices of the City District Commissioners and District Offices for Hong Kong and Kowloon.

In 1974, the Television and Film Division was separated to form an independent Television and Film Authority; the Tenancy Enquiry Bureaux were transferred to the Rating and Valuation Department; and the HAD was reorganised into a Community Services Branch and a Language and Tradition Branch and the City District Offices.

Certain traditional and community related matters including temples, Chinese customs and marriages, cemeteries and opinion surveys, were transferred to the CNTA on 1 April 1985 from the Home Affairs Branch, Government Secretariat.

The Home Affairs Bureau gained responsibility over the promotion of social enterprises, as well as the Legal Aid Department, which was transferred from the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office.

The bureau has three political appointees, with principal officials in bold: The Permanent Secretary is Shirley Lam who took up her post in 2022.