Social welfare — Topics

3 Jul 2023

Plans under Healthier SG for Younger Persons with Disabilities

The Ministry of Health is building on the Enabling Masterplan 2030 to support healthier lives for younger persons with disabilities, including those with intellectual disabilities.
Pilots such as a Community Integrated Health Team are underway, partnering with social service agencies and healthcare professionals to provide multidisciplinary, community-based care for PwDs with complex needs.
Healthier SG initiatives include updated physical activity guidelines inclusive of PwDs and expanded sports opportunities through the Para Sports Academy and the Disability Sports Masterplan.
MOH and MSF are studying service gaps and coordinating with stakeholders to strengthen support for PwDs’ health and healthcare needs.
MOH is committed to working with partners on further programmes and pilots to make healthy living more accessible for all residents.

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10 May 2023

Top Three Concerns of Families with School-going Children Living in Rental Housing

The top three concerns for families with school-going children in rental housing are financial circumstances, their children’s future, and health and housing stability.
These families aspire to purchase a flat, build up savings, and see their children do well in school.
The Ministry’s ComLink programme provides Comprehensive, Convenient, and Coordinated support to help families achieve Stability, Self-Reliance, and Social Mobility through action plans and community partnerships.

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10 May 2023

Vulnerable Group Persons Hired in Government Project Tenders with "Set aside" Clauses

The government does not centrally track the number of vulnerable group hires from project tenders with "set aside" clauses, though agencies may occasionally award contracts requiring a quota, such as reserving 10% of jobs for persons with disabilities and seniors.
Each agency can independently decide to include "set aside" clauses or create preferred supplier programs for firms with the Enabling Mark, leading to variable implementation across tenders.
The government employs non-procurement measures to support vulnerable group employment, including job placement services, grants, and the development of Enabling Business Hubs to enhance regional opportunities.

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10 May 2023

Revision of MediSave Limit to Allow Cancer Patients to Pay for Non-subsidised Drugs

Ms Ng Ling Ling asked whether advanced or terminal cancer patients unable to complete treatments with non-subsidised drugs by the September 2023 deadline could access higher MediSave amounts to ease financial strain.
The Senior Minister of State for Health outlined that patients can appeal to MOH for more MediSave use, seek financial assistance via medical social workers, or withdraw CPF savings under the Reduced Life Expectancy scheme.
Pritam Singh inquired about the volume of appeals to MOH for non-CDL cancer drugs, to which the Minister replied that specific data was unavailable and suggested filing a separate question.
Ms Ng Ling Ling further questioned whether insurers covering Integrated Plans must appeal for grandfathering with oncologist support and if rare cancers could be separately evaluated by a clinical panel.
The Minister encouraged submitting appeals for assessment, noting MOH would explore various mechanisms to assist patients, and invited follow-up if needed.

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10 May 2023

Further Measures to Moderate Rise in Consumer Price Index

The Government has introduced multiple financial support schemes, such as CDC Vouchers, Cost of Living Special Payment, enhanced GST Vouchers, and Assurance Package Cash, to help households cope with rising costs, with lower- and middle-income families benefiting significantly.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore has tightened monetary policy five times since October 2021 to appreciate the Singapore dollar and curb imported inflation, with effects expected to continue dampening price increases.
While private transport costs have risen, the Government ensures public transport affordability through subsidies and concessionary fares, with plans to monitor prices and take further action if needed.

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9 May 2023

Penetration Rate of Eldercare Centre Service Model among Senior Residents

There are currently 154 Active Ageing Centres (formerly Eldercare Centres) covering about 53% of the senior population, with plans to expand to 220 centres by 2025 to cover 80% of seniors.
In 2022, an estimated 79,000 seniors lived alone, and the Silver Generation Office engaged over 230,000 seniors, including 27,000 living alone.
The Silver Generation Office will prioritise seniors living alone for outreach, linking them to Active Ageing Centres and community partners for support like home visits and check-in calls.

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9 May 2023

Households Collecting Public Transport Vouchers by Registration or Appeal

As of 31 March 2023, about 264,000 of the 600,000 available Public Transport Vouchers (PTVs) worth $30 each have been distributed, including 240,000 automatically sent to households continuing to meet eligibility criteria from the previous exercise.
The Ministry of Transport and People's Association ensure that no needy household is denied a PTV; households exceeding income criteria but with special circumstances can appeal online or at Community Centres/Clubs until 31 October 2023.
The government has announced the availability of PTVs with outreach through posters in buses and transport nodes, urging eligible households to apply by the October 2023 deadline.
The Ministry has not directly addressed whether it will consider disbursing PTVs of less than $30 to applicants with household income per person above $1,600 but below $2,000, but maintains flexibility through the appeal process for special circumstances.

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9 May 2023

Data on Monthly Pension Paid to Retired Civil Servants under Government Pension Scheme

Ms Sylvia Lim requested the lowest, median, and highest monthly pensions for retired civil servants under Government pension schemes.
The Prime Minister’s office provided the 20th percentile ($640), median ($1,080), and 80th percentile ($2,280) of pensions paid, noting variations due to service length and salary.
Retired civil servants with pensions below the gross monthly ceiling receive a Singapore Allowance to address inflation, which is reviewed and revised regularly.

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9 May 2023

Considerations of Hospital Committees in Assessing MediFund Assistance Requests

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Ministry of Health for specific operational guidelines beyond eligibility criteria, including income thresholds and recipient limits per household, provided to MediFund committees.
Ong Ye Kung explained that while the Ministry offers guidelines on means-testing and assistance amounts, MediFund committees have full discretion to consider other factors and family circumstances.
The Ministry does not issue guidelines on the number of MediFund recipients per household, leaving such decisions to the committees.

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9 May 2023

Enhancing End of Life with Choices and Dignity

Ms Ng Ling Ling highlighted that most Singaporeans wish to die at home but many currently die in medical settings, advocating for destigmatising end-of-life conversations, simplifying planning through instruments like AMD, LPA, and ACP, and expanding community-based palliative care options with support from family doctors.
Mr Yip Hon Weng emphasized the need for better caregiver support, including education, peer networks, respite care, and financial assistance, while questioning the affordability of palliative care and seeking updates on subsidies and funding models like the TTSH-Dover Park Hospice pilot.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam outlined government efforts to improve palliative care access, train healthcare professionals, enhance caregiver support through schemes like home-based respite care, and normalise end-of-life discussions via campaigns and digital tools, while reviewing financing frameworks to ensure affordability.

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9 May 2023

Maintenance of Parents (Amendment) Bill

Seah Kian Peng moved to introduce the Maintenance of Parents (Amendment) Bill, highlighting the success of the 2011 conciliation-first approach that settled 90% of claims annually and reduced Tribunal applications from 183 to around 30 per year.
The proposed amendments aim to strengthen support for neglected elderly parents while preventing misuse by parents who abandoned or abused their children, based on a nine-member Work Group's review.
Two rounds of public consultation and an online survey showed general support for the amendments, which seek to balance enhanced powers for the Tribunal and Commissioner with new safeguards against misuse.
The Bill was introduced after the motion was agreed to, with the Second Reading scheduled for the next available Sitting.

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9 May 2023

Measures to Prevent Cases of Seniors Passing Away Undetected in Their Homes

The Ministry of National Development and HDB currently provide alert systems for seniors in studio apartments or rental blocks and conduct checks based on lease management or feedback, while community partners engage at-risk seniors through outreach and trust-building.
The government is reviewing the EASE programme and exploring technological solutions, including sensor-based monitoring systems, to support seniors living alone and prevent undetected incidents.
Parliament members called for increased resources for Active Ageing Centres, potential legal reviews to allow more regular engagement with non-compliant seniors, and partnerships with organizations like the Red Cross to expand home monitoring programs nationally.

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9 May 2023

Reviewing Income Criteria for Student Care Fee Assistance to Reduce Out-of-pocket Expenses

The Ministry of Social and Family Development reviews the Student Care Fee Assistance scheme periodically to ensure affordability for lower-income families, with most recipients paying a median of $29 per child.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary confirmed that the scheme was last enhanced in 2020 and will be reviewed again, with family size considered through per capita income criteria for higher subsidies.
The Ministry noted that the scheme includes startup grants for initial enrolment costs but does not cover enrichment programmes, focusing instead on essential student care fees.

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8 May 2023

CPF Members Aged 55 and Above with Outstanding Mortgage Payments

Minister Tan See Leng provided median figures instead of averages for CPF members aged 55 and above with outstanding mortgages, showing 6.5% of those below the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) using a median of $380 monthly, 10.5% of those meeting BRS but not the Full Retirement Sum (FRS) using $700, and 7.4% of those meeting FRS using $1,000.
For CPF members aged 63 and above, 2.5% of those below BRS used a median of $330 monthly, 4.2% of those meeting BRS but not FRS used $590, and 1.8% of those meeting FRS used $900 for mortgage payments.
The Minister emphasized that median amounts are more representative than averages due to skew from a small group with higher mortgage instalments.

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8 May 2023

Review of Rare Disease Fund and Legislation to Support Citizen Patients Requiring Expensive Drug Treatments

Christopher de Souza questioned the Ministry of Health’s review of the Rare Disease Fund and potential financing schemes for citizens needing expensive treatments for rare diseases.
Ong Ye Kung explained the RDF, established in 2019, is a charity fund managed by a committee with community and medical experts, offering government matching and tax incentives for donations.
The fund currently focuses on life-threatening, lifelong treatments due to high costs and limited funds, but MOH is exploring broader coverage for novel therapies with the RDF committee.

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8 May 2023

Lower Property Tax for Retirees or Persons Suffering Drop in Income

Christopher de Souza proposed lowering property tax for retirees or individuals experiencing a drop in income.
Lawrence Wong stated the government supports retirees through other measures like the Assurance Package and CHAS subsidies, not via reduced property tax rates.
Property owners facing financial hardship can seek assistance directly from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore for their tax bills.

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8 May 2023

HDB Rental Flat Tenants in Arrears and Reasons

HDB sends SMS and letter reminders in the first two months of rent arrears and encourages tenants to contact them if facing difficulties, with officers reaching out through calls and house visits from the third month to understand individual circumstances.
HDB offers compassionate assistance measures, including rent reduction and instalment plans for tenants in financial difficulties, and refers them to social service agencies for further support.
The approach focuses on actively advising and guiding tenants while addressing the underlying reasons for arrears through direct engagement and external referrals.

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8 May 2023

Additional Annual Subsidies for Outpatient MRI Scans for Retired or Low-income Citizens

Carrie Tan proposed additional annual subsidies for outpatient MRI scans for retired or low-income citizens, citing high scan costs.
Ong Ye Kung detailed existing subsidies, including means-tested support of up to 70%, extra benefits for Pioneer and Merdeka Generation seniors, and MediSave usage capped at $300 annually for scans.
He emphasized that seniors can access additional Flexi-MediSave benefits and financial aid like MediFund, assuring that no one is denied healthcare due to cost.
MOH committed to continuously reviewing healthcare financing to ensure affordability and accessibility for all.

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8 May 2023

More Resources to Support Provision of Medical Escort Services for Elderly from Lower-income Households

Joan Pereira requested additional dedicated resources and funding for social service agencies to scale up hiring and training for medical escort services for lower-income elderly with mobility needs and no caregiver.
Ong Ye Kung stated that the Ministry of Health already funds Medical Escort and Transport services for frail seniors and noted current capacity is generally sufficient, though demand will grow with an ageing population.
He highlighted existing grants like the Community Silver Trust and Professional Capability Grant to support capability building in community care and social service agencies.
He mentioned manpower recruitment and training initiatives under the Agency for Integrated Care, including courses for safe management of seniors with mobility needs.

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8 May 2023

Trend in Number of Seniors Living Alone and Staying Reclusive and Unconnected

The number of seniors aged 65 and above living alone in Singapore has risen from 58,000 in 2018 to 79,000 in 2022 and is expected to continue increasing due to an ageing population and smaller household sizes.
Silver Generation Ambassadors visit at-risk seniors living alone once a year to connect them with support services, while Active Ageing Centre befrienders reach out at least monthly for those needing social support, with other agencies also providing outreach.
The Government acknowledges that some seniors remain reclusive and decline assistance but believes persistent community engagement can eventually persuade them to accept services, with plans to expand such efforts under the Forward Singapore exercise.

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