Number of Single Unwed Parents under 35 Years Old Applying to Buy a Flat from HDB in Past Five Years

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for National Development for each year in the past five years (a) how many single unwed parents under 35 years old applied to buy a flat from HDB; (b) how many of such single unwed parents obtained a ballot number without submitting an appeal; and (c) how many of such single unwed parents obtained a ballot number following an appeal.

Since 2014, we have received 121 requests from single unwed parents to apply for a 2-room Flexi flat before they turn 35 years old. The individual circumstances of each person were reviewed to understand their housing options and level of family support. 28 of them were granted flexibility to submit an application to buy a flat. The rest were assessed to be able to stay with family members. After a flat application has been submitted, HDB uses a computer ballot to determine the queue order among the flat applicants.

The annual figures from 2014 to May 2019 are in Table 1:

We will continue to review every request holistically, with input from social workers where needed, to provide housing assistance to single unwed parents and their children.