Debated in Parliament on 11 May 2021.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) between 2016 and 2020, how many households are receiving a mix of CPF payouts and ComCare Long-Term Assistance cash grants every year; and (b) how are the total payout rates for such long-term assistance determined.
ComCare Long-Term Assistance (LTA) is provided to those who are permanently unable to work due to old age, illness or disability and have little or no means of income and family support. Applicants who are receiving some income, such as CPF-related payouts, may qualify if their monthly income is lower than the prevailing LTA rate for the respective household type, for example, $600 for a single-person household.
The number of households on LTA who received CPF-related payouts between 2016 and 2020 is summarised in Table 1.
LTA beneficiaries with some monthly income, which would include any CPF payouts, will have their LTA cash payouts adjusted, albeit the sum of their monthly income and the LTA payout will still be higher than the LTA payout that a beneficiary with no CPF payout or other forms of income would receive.
In addition to cash assistance, LTA beneficiaries also receive free medical assistance at public healthcare institutions and additional assistance for recurring and one-off essentials, such as hygiene consumables and household appliances, respectively. Social Service Offices can also connect LTA beneficiaries with other assistance schemes and community organisations that can provide additional support to help them address any other needs.
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