Debated in Parliament on 1 Aug 2022.
Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the current number of workers who are unable to meet their CPF Basic Retirement Sum (BRS); and (b) what is the forecasted number of workers who will not be able to meet the CPF BRS over the next 10 and 20 years respectively.
The Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) is meant to provide CPF members with monthly payouts in retirement that cover basic living expenses.
Among active CPF members who turned age 55 in 2021, about 33%, or 13,300 members, had yet to set aside the cohort's BRS. Of these, about 30% are expected to accrue additional contributions through employment from age 55 so that they could receive similar payouts at age 65 as those who had set aside the cohort BRS at age 55. The other members may have lower total lifetime CPF contributions which means they could be eligible for the Silver Support Scheme1.
The Silver Support Scheme, which covers a third of all seniors aged 65 and above, provides quarterly cash supplements of up to $900 in addition to their CPF payouts and other forms of Government support such as the Workfare Income Supplement. Members who have not met the prevailing BRS may also be eligible for matching top-ups from the Government under the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, which was launched in 2021. Many seniors also receive additional retirement support from their loved ones, from their private savings, and by unlocking the value of their housing assets through the Lease Buyback Scheme or Silver Housing Bonus. Members can also choose to start their CPF payouts later, up to age 70, to receive higher payouts.
It is difficult to project the BRS attainment 10 or 20 years from now with meaningful accuracy as members' CPF balances could change significantly due to multiple reasons, such as contributions from employment income or voluntary top-ups. Nevertheless, BRS attainment has been improving and this is expected to continue in the next few years. About 20% of active CPF members turning 55 in 2027 are expected to set aside less than the BRS, down from 33% in 2021 and 40% in 2017.
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