Enhancing Assurance Package Assistance for Low-income and Vulnerable Families

Debated in Parliament on 2 Jul 2024.

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MP Gan Thiam Poh proposed enhancing the Assurance Package to provide monthly assistance scaled by per capita income to help low-income families cope with rising costs.
Senior Minister Chee Hong Tat explained that the Assurance Package, recently enhanced by $1.9 billion, uses criteria like individual income and housing type, not per capita income, but still provides more support to lower-income and larger households.
Chee noted that lower-income households with children can receive around $5,500 in combined benefits from the Assurance Package and GST Voucher scheme in FY2024, alongside other subsidies for public services.
The Government continues to monitor living costs and regularly reviews support measures to address Singaporeans' concerns.

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Gan Thiam Poh

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether the Assurance Package can be enhanced for low-income and vulnerable families so as to provide more monthly assistance to each family member based on the family's per capita income to help them cope with the higher cost of living.

Chee Hong Tat

The Assurance Package helps all Singaporeans. Some of the measures, such as Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers, are given to all Singaporean households. We have designed the Assurance Package so that lower-income families as well as larger households, particularly those with seniors and children, get more support.

The Assurance Package was most recently enhanced at Budget 2024 by $1.9 billion to provide further assistance to Singaporeans.

The means-tested schemes in the Assurance Package, comprising cash, MediSave top-ups, additional U-Save and S&CC rebates, use one or more of these criteria: individual assessable income, annual value of residence, Housing and Development Board flat type and number of properties owned. Per capita household income is not used to determine the amount received for the schemes under the Assurance Package. However, Singaporeans living in households with lower per capita household income will generally receive more support from the Assurance Package and other Government schemes. These include families who earn lower incomes or have larger family sizes.

On top of the Assurance Package, lower- and middle-income families benefit from the permanent Goods and Services Tax (GST) Voucher scheme. In total, a lower-income household with two young children will receive about $5,500 in benefits from the enhanced Assurance Package and the GST Voucher scheme in financial year 2024. Singaporeans also receive subsidies when they access public goods and services, such as education, healthcare and housing, with more support provided to families with lower incomes.

The Government understands the concerns of Singaporeans with regard to costs of living. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and regularly review our support measures.

Summary written by AI (learn more)

MP Gan Thiam Poh proposed enhancing the Assurance Package to provide monthly assistance scaled by per capita income to help low-income families cope with rising costs.
Senior Minister Chee Hong Tat explained that the Assurance Package, recently enhanced by $1.9 billion, uses criteria like individual income and housing type, not per capita income, but still provides more support to lower-income and larger households.
Chee noted that lower-income households with children can receive around $5,500 in combined benefits from the Assurance Package and GST Voucher scheme in FY2024, alongside other subsidies for public services.
The Government continues to monitor living costs and regularly reviews support measures to address Singaporeans' concerns.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Enhancing Assurance Package Assistance for Low-income and Vulnerable Families | PAPERCUTS

Enhancing Assurance Package Assistance for Low-income and Vulnerable Families

Debated in Parliament on 2 Jul 2024.

Summary written by AI (learn more)

MP Gan Thiam Poh proposed enhancing the Assurance Package to provide monthly assistance scaled by per capita income to help low-income families cope with rising costs.
Senior Minister Chee Hong Tat explained that the Assurance Package, recently enhanced by $1.9 billion, uses criteria like individual income and housing type, not per capita income, but still provides more support to lower-income and larger households.
Chee noted that lower-income households with children can receive around $5,500 in combined benefits from the Assurance Package and GST Voucher scheme in FY2024, alongside other subsidies for public services.
The Government continues to monitor living costs and regularly reviews support measures to address Singaporeans' concerns.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Full Transcript

Gan Thiam Poh

Chee Hong Tat

The Assurance Package was most recently enhanced at Budget 2024 by $1.9 billion to provide further assistance to Singaporeans.

The Government understands the concerns of Singaporeans with regard to costs of living. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and regularly review our support measures.

Summary written by AI (learn more)

MP Gan Thiam Poh proposed enhancing the Assurance Package to provide monthly assistance scaled by per capita income to help low-income families cope with rising costs.
Senior Minister Chee Hong Tat explained that the Assurance Package, recently enhanced by $1.9 billion, uses criteria like individual income and housing type, not per capita income, but still provides more support to lower-income and larger households.
Chee noted that lower-income households with children can receive around $5,500 in combined benefits from the Assurance Package and GST Voucher scheme in FY2024, alongside other subsidies for public services.
The Government continues to monitor living costs and regularly reviews support measures to address Singaporeans' concerns.

Questions identified by AI (learn more)

Enhancing Assurance Package Assistance for Low-income and Vulnerable Families

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Gan Thiam Poh

Chee Hong Tat

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Enhancing Assurance Package Assistance for Low-income and Vulnerable Families

Summary

Questions Identified

Full Transcript

Gan Thiam Poh

Chee Hong Tat

Summary

Questions Identified