Debated in Parliament on 26 Sep 2025.
Mr Low Wu Yang Andre asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in light of the goal to build a "Singapore Made for All Families" (a) what is the policy rationale for maintaining distinctions in access to housing and housing grants, tax reliefs and other support schemes between single-parent unwed households and married couples; and (b) how does the Ministry ensure that these distinctions do not inadvertently penalise children and compromise their developmental outcomes.
The Working Mother's Child Relief and Parenthood Tax Rebate benefits are intended to support parenthood within marriage. As such, they are not extended to single unwed parents. Similarly, the majority of the Housing and Development Board's (HDB's) new flats are set aside for families, with priority for first-timer married couples and families with young children.
Nevertheless, we recognise the challenges that single unwed parents face in having to single handedly raise their children. Regardless of background and circumstances, we take a two-pronged approach to supporting single unwed parents.
Firstly, benefits that support the growth and development of children are given to all Citizen children, regardless of the marital status of their parents. These include subsidies for education, healthcare, childcare, infant care, the Migrant Domestic Worker Levy Concession and the Child Development Account.
Secondly, we provide targeted support to address their needs holistically. Single unwed parents who require additional support may approach social service offices for financial assistance, and family service centres for holistic case management and socio-emotional support.
Similarly, single unwed parents who require housing assistance can also approach HDB, which will assess each request holistically and exercise flexibility, where appropriate, to ensure that their children have a stable home to grow up in. For example, single unwed parents aged 21 and above may be allowed to buy up to a 3-room flat from HDB, or a resale flat. Those who cannot afford to buy a flat may be considered for public rental flats.
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