Individuals Who Exceed Eligibility Criteria for Silver Support Scheme Based on Household Income Per Capita

Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many seniors who would otherwise meet the individual eligibility criteria for the Silver Support Scheme are currently ineligible solely due to exceeding the household income per capita threshold; and (b) of these, how many are living with their adult children.

Eligibility for the Silver Support Scheme is determined by assessing multiple criteria including seniors' lifetime wages, housing type and the level of family support, proxied by the monthly per capita household income (PCHI). We adopt a holistic assessment of seniors’ individual and household circumstances to ensure that the scheme is targeted at seniors with less means in their retirement, while ensuring that the scheme remains fiscally sustainable.

We have recently raised the qualifying monthly PCHI threshold from $1,800 to $2,300 in 2025. This has enabled more seniors, some of whom do live together with their children, to qualify for Silver Support payouts.

Of the seniors who are ineligible for Silver Support payouts in 2026, around one in 10 are ineligible solely because their PCHI exceeds $2,300. A portion of these seniors could be earning incomes or could reside with income-earning household members, indicating a higher level of household financial support. We do not track how many of these seniors are living with their adult children.

Seniors facing unique situations can write in to the Central Provident Fund Board to review their eligibility for the Silver Support Scheme. We will review their circumstances holistically on a case-by-case basis.