Social welfare — Topics

26 Feb 2024

Provision of Larger Accessible Changing Rooms and Toilets by Building Owners for Adults with Disabilities or Help-dependent Seniors and Motorised Wheelchair Users

Ms See Jinli Jean inquired about the proportion of buildings in Singapore providing accessible changing rooms and larger accessible toilets for adults with disabilities, help-dependent seniors, and motorised wheelchair users, and how the Ministry encourages building owners to introduce these facilities.
The Building and Construction Authority mandates that new buildings and those undergoing major alterations comply with the Accessibility Code, requiring public-frequented buildings to provide at least one accessible changing room and one larger accessible toilet per floor.
To date, about 50 buildings have accessible changing rooms and about 130 have larger accessible toilets, with examples including One Punggol and Mandai Bird Paradise.
The Ministry encourages retrofitting through BCA's Accessibility Fund, which co-funds up to 80% for larger accessible toilets and 60% for other inclusive features like changing rooms in eligible developments.
BCA also promotes accessibility via the Universal Design Excellence Award, recognising buildings that exceed mandatory Code requirements for inclusive facilities.

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26 Feb 2024

Households in Arrears on Utility Bills in 2023 and Months Due

As of 31 December 2023, 6,300 Singaporean resident households (0.5%) had water bills in arrears for six months or more, with a median arrears duration of less than one month.
Eligible households receive U-Save rebates to offset utility expenses, with enhanced rebates of up to $950 in Financial Year 2024 as announced in Budget 2024.
Households needing further aid can access various community and social assistance schemes, with figures rounded to the nearest hundred.

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26 Feb 2024

Factors Leading to Decline in Real Income Growth for Bottom 10% of Income Earners and Additional Help Initiatives Being Considered

Yip Hon Weng asked about the factors behind the decline in real income growth for the bottom 10% in 2023 and potential additional initiatives to support low-income households.
Lawrence Wong explained that uneven growth and higher prices in 2023 caused negative real income growth for the bottom 10% and top deciles, while median incomes rose and overall inequality decreased.
He noted that the bottom 10% still saw strong long-term real income growth over the past decade and highlighted ongoing efforts like Progressive Wages and Workfare to uplift lower-wage workers.
The government announced an increase in the Local Qualifying Salary and enhanced Workfare support from 2024 to 2025, alongside other measures to assist low-income households with essential costs.
Additional support will come through the enhanced Assurance Package, focusing on areas such as daily essentials, utilities, and public transport for those in need.

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26 Feb 2024

Debate on Annual Budget Statement

Lim Biow Chuan supports the Budget but urges a review of rising costs, suggesting moderating land and rental prices and adjusting foreign worker ratios in sectors where locals are unwilling to work.
He commends SkillsFuture for lifelong learning and proposes mandatory retrenchment benefits for displaced workers, while also advocating property tax relief for retirees without income.
Poh Li San highlights the need for dementia and mental health support, emphasizing caregiver wellness and better integration of health and social services to improve community resilience.

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16 Feb 2024

Clarification by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance

The Deputy Prime Minister clarified that all local employees at companies hiring foreign workers must be paid at least the Local Qualifying Salary (LQS).
He corrected that the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme (MRSS) is for Singaporeans aged 55 to 70, not 55 to 75 as initially stated.
The MRSS provides dollar-for-dollar matching for cash top-ups to CPF accounts to help those with less savings save more for retirement.

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16 Feb 2024

Annual Budget Statement

The government introduced the Assurance Package and Enterprise Support Package, providing cash payouts, vouchers, and rebates to households and businesses to address immediate cost-of-living pressures and support economic resilience.
It launched the Forward Singapore agenda to enhance social mobility and support mid-career workers through the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, which includes top-ups for training and subsidies for full-time diplomas for those aged 40 and above.
Fiscal measures were outlined, including a Personal Income Tax Rebate, adjustments to property and stamp duties, and implementation of the BEPS 2.0 global tax rules, alongside a new Future Energy Fund to secure clean energy infrastructure.

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16 Feb 2024

Profile of Patients Diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Financial Support Available

The Ministry of Health reported international estimates of ADHD prevalence among children (5–8%) and adults (2–7%) and outlined existing financial support, including subsidized consultations and therapy of up to 70% through Child Development Programme, school-based interventions, and means-tested subsidies at public outpatient clinics.
The Ministry does not track a national dataset on the number of children diagnosed or treated for ADHD due to non-mandatory reporting, but noted that healthcare and education professionals are trained to identify neurodevelopmental conditions and guide parents to appropriate resources.
The Ministry confirmed it collaborates with non-profit organizations such as SPARK and Unlocking ADHD to promote public education, early detection, and tailored support for families dealing with ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions.

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7 Feb 2024

Proportion of Social Workers and Staff to Persons with Special Needs

Ms He Ting Ru inquired about the ratio of social workers and staff to persons with special needs in various care settings over the last three years, and whether the Ministry would collect such data if unavailable.
The Minister responded that the average ratio of social workers to persons with disabilities in disability homes and day activity centres was about 1:40 over the past three years.
The average ratio of other programme staff to persons with disabilities ranged from 1:2 to 1:4, varying based on operating hours, programme requirements, and client needs.

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7 Feb 2024

Reviewing CDC Vouchers Scheme to Support Larger Households Based on Household Size

Mr Yip Hon Weng questioned if the CDC Vouchers Scheme could be adjusted to better support larger households based on size.
Lawrence Wong explained that government support is holistic across multiple schemes, with the CDC Vouchers Scheme designed broadly for all households, while other targeted schemes like cash payments and seniors' bonuses address individual needs.
The government commits to regularly reviewing support measures to ensure they effectively help all Singaporeans, including larger households.

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7 Feb 2024

Data on Non-receipt of Support Schemes and Feedback on Erroneous Disbursement of Payouts

Hazel Poa asked for the number of eligible individuals or households who did not receive automatic support scheme benefits, complaints or appeals about erroneous payouts including fraud, and cases where extra benefits were wrongly disbursed to ineligible people over the past three to five years.
Lawrence Wong responded that the vast majority of automatic disbursements are accurate, with about 20,000 enquiries or appeals for the GST Voucher scheme in 2023, mostly due to updated personal circumstances rather than errors.
The government identifies and rectifies erroneous payouts through internal audits, Auditor-General reviews, and public feedback, citing an example where 3,166 ineligible HDB households received GST Voucher–U-Save benefits in FY2021/2022.
While rare, cases of fraud have occurred, and the government has zero tolerance, conducting thorough investigations and referring matters to the police when warranted.

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7 Feb 2024

Automatic Disbursement of Support Schemes to Individuals and Households

Leong Mun Wai asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance about the number of financial support schemes available, how many require active applications, and the rationale for not automatically granting support where criteria are objective.
Lawrence Wong replied that the Government provides automatic subsidies for public services like education and healthcare, and listed around 60 targeted support schemes across various life stages, with slightly more than half requiring applications.
He explained that automatic disbursement is used where criteria are objectively quantifiable and administrative data is available, while some schemes require applications due to the need for holistic assessments or disability evaluations to tailor support appropriately.

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7 Feb 2024

Universal Code for Standard of Care at Homes for Children and Adults with Disabilities, and at Day Centres for Persons with Special Needs

Ms He Ting Ru asked whether the Government will implement a universal code of conduct prescribing standards of care across homes for children and adults with disabilities and day activity centres for persons with special needs.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary replied that MSF already establishes practice guidelines and requirements for funded disability services, covering safety, staffing, training, hygiene, care programmes, and incident management.
Children Disability Homes are licensed under the Children and Young Persons Act with enforced Standards of Care and regular inspections, while Adult Disability Homes and Day Activity Centres undergo audits by SG Enable and voluntary inspections by MSF.
MSF is currently reviewing how to better ensure standards of care in disability services and will share more updates in due course.

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7 Feb 2024

Review of Computation of Monthly CPF Interest Payment

Chua Kheng Wee Louis questioned whether the CPF Board would review the computation of monthly interest to include pro-rated contributions and balances based on the number of days they reside in the account.
The Minister for Manpower highlighted that the CPF system provides guaranteed minimum interest rates and extra bonuses, which already offer members higher returns compared to bank deposits, making changes to the computation method unnecessary.
In a supplementary, Chua noted that current CPF interest computation might cause members to lose potential interest compared to other investments, but the Minister maintained that the CPF’s features ensure sustainable, higher long-term returns.
Assoc Prof Jamus Lim raised concerns that allowing sophisticated members to transfer CPF funds to safer instruments could exacerbate inequality, though the Minister did not directly respond to this point.

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7 Feb 2024

Persons with Disabilities who Applied for Jobs through Employment and Employability Institute

The Ministry of Manpower outlined that while Workforce Singapore and NTUC’s e2i do not track disability-specific data, the Open Door Programme assisted about 900 jobseekers with disabilities annually from 2018 to 2022, with around 500 placed each year and over 80% remaining employed for at least six months.
The government’s strategy under the Enabling Masterplan 2030 aims for a 40% employment rate for persons with disabilities by 2030, supported by skills training, grants, and partnerships with disability agencies and inclusive employers.
In response to a suggestion for a dedicated department, the Minister highlighted the Enabling Business Hub as a new one-stop structure that brings together tripartite partners, employers, and support agencies to enhance job placement and retention for persons with disabilities.

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6 Feb 2024

Threshold for 20-Year Payout Under CPF Retirement Sum Scheme

Leong Mun Wai inquired about the savings threshold determining whether CPF Retirement Sum Scheme payouts last 20 years.
Tan See Leng explained there is no single threshold, as payout duration depends on factors like future inflows to the Retirement Account.
Members can check their specific payout duration and quantum by logging into their individual CPF accounts.
Those turning 65 in 2023 with the Basic Retirement Sum will automatically join CPF LIFE for lifelong payouts, with further support measures announced later.

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6 Feb 2024

Considerations for Installation of Alert Buttons for Vulnerable Seniors and Estimated Out-of-pocket Costs

Minister Desmond Lee confirmed that about 10,000 seniors in public rental housing have wireless Alert Alarm Systems installed, with plans to expand this to all seniors aged 60 and above in public rental housing under Age Well SG, benefiting an additional 26,800 seniors.
The wireless Alert Alarm System is not currently provided to seniors living in sold HDB flats, as its setup involves both hardware installation and ensuring adequate resources for 24/7 response services.
The Ministry of National Development and HDB will continue to review the Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme, incorporating feedback from seniors and healthcare stakeholders, to determine if wireless alert systems can be included and to assess potential out-of-pocket costs.

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6 Feb 2024

Schedule for Review of Pensions and Benefits of Retired Public Service Officers

Darryl David asked whether there is a regular schedule for reviewing pensions and benefits for retired Public Service officers and how often such reviews occur.
Chan Chun Sing, representing the Prime Minister, responded that there is no fixed schedule for reviews, as the Government continuously assesses benefits based on inflation, fiscal costs, and other national policies.
The response also noted that pensioners benefit from broader national support schemes like the Pioneer and Merdeka Generation packages, GST vouchers, and CDC vouchers.

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6 Feb 2024

Redemption of CDC Vouchers for Individuals Who Have Changed Addresses or Rented Out Their Homes

Edwin Tong confirmed that CDC Voucher Scheme 2024 claims are not affected by outdated addresses or rented-out homes if households provide proof like tenancy agreements or marriage certificates.
The Ministry encourages updating NRIC addresses and offers assistance at community clubs for difficult claims, while working with online platforms to prevent voucher reselling.
CDC vouchers are non-resalable and must be redeemed for goods and services, with the public urged to report reselling via the People's Association helpline.

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6 Feb 2024

Application Rates for Scheme that Exempts Persons with Disabilities from Paying COE Premiums and Additional Registration Fees for Vehicles

The Disabled Persons Scheme (DPS), which exempts eligible Singapore citizens with permanent disabilities from COE premiums and Additional Registration Fees, saw applications decline from 93 in 2015 to 20 in 2023.
The government confirmed that DPS is means-tested and that the income ceiling was last updated in 2017, with a commitment to review the scheme to ensure it remains relevant.
Officials indicated that the review of DPS is timely as part of a broader effort to make public transport more accessible to all persons with disabilities, acknowledging concerns from Members of Parliament.
During the debate, questions were raised about the tiered means-testing approach and whether rising per capita household incomes have reduced the proportion of potential applicants qualifying for DPS.
The government highlighted the need to balance the scheme's purpose with the larger goal of improving public transport accessibility and will consider situations where persons with disabilities are caregivers.

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6 Feb 2024

Value of Unspent CDC Vouchers and Initiatives to Encourage Individuals to Donate these Vouchers

The CDC Vouchers Scheme 2023 saw a 97.7% claim rate from 1.27 million households, with over $360 million spent at heartland merchants, hawkers, and supermarkets, and unspent vouchers could be donated to charities until January 2024.
For 2024, interim data as of February 6 shows 95% of households have claimed vouchers, with over $255 million spent, including $99 million at merchants and hawkers and $156 million at supermarkets.
The number of charities participating in the voucher donation scheme has increased by 20% to 327, covering causes like healthcare, family support, and environmental sustainability, though donation figures for 2023 are still being compiled.
Unspent and undonated vouchers are returned to the government, and the scheme aims to prevent waste while allowing households to support those in need through donations.

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