Social welfare — Topics

6 Mar 2023

Appeals from Residents Ineligible for Public Rental Housing and Cannot Afford Open Market Rentals

Yip Hon Weng asked for data on housing appeals from residents ineligible for public rental and unable to afford open-market rentals, including outcomes and alternatives, and whether the Progressive Wage Model will affect future appeals.
Desmond Lee stated that HDB uses a holistic, needs-based approach for rental housing, considering multiple factors beyond income, and does not specifically track appeals from those in the described category.
Applicants without family support or other options are assisted with public rental flats, while others may stay with family or friends or receive interim rental flats if waiting for BTO completion.
The Progressive Wage Model is expected to help lower-wage workers afford home ownership through grants and subsidies, and HDB will continue to assess rental applications holistically.

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6 Mar 2023

Total Value of Festive Grant for 2023 Contributed by Lee Foundation and Disbursed to ComCare Recipients

Pritam Singh asked about the value, criteria, number of beneficiaries, and historical data for the 2023 Lee Foundation festive grant disbursed to ComCare recipients.
The Minister stated that the Lee Foundation disbursed about $82,000 to 680 people who did not qualify for ComCare but were referred by Social Service Offices.
The Minister also noted that the Hong Leong Foundation and Shaw Foundation have averaged about $960,000 annually over the past five years for similar festive grants to ComCare Long-Term beneficiaries.
Pritam Singh sought clarification on whether all 680 referred applicants received the grant, and the Minister confirmed that all of them did.

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6 Mar 2023

Assessing Estimated Expenditure of Providing Cash Component of Baby Bonus to Single Unwed Parents

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Ministry for Social and Family Development to study the estimated costs of extending the Baby Bonus cash component to single unwed parents, arguing it is a lifeline given their low median income and that current policies reinforce stigma.
Minister Masagos Zulkifli responded that the issue is not cost but societal norms favoring parenthood within marriage, and that existing support schemes, social services, and holistic housing assessments are already available for single unwed parents.
Louis Ng emphasized that policies can evolve, citing changes to the Working Mother’s Child Relief, and urged a review focused on reducing discrimination rather than fiscal cost, noting that increased support in other areas has not led to a spike in single unwed parents.
The Minister acknowledged the hardship but maintained that policies must align with social values, stating that if norms change in the future, policies will adapt accordingly.
The debate concluded with Louis Ng reiterating his call for a sincere review of policies to support single unwed parents and remove stigma, while the Deputy Speaker moved to other parliamentary questions.

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3 Mar 2023

Clarification by Second Minister for Health

The Second Minister for Health clarified that the Home Caregiving Grant’s income assessment is pegged to the median income from Department of Statistics data, excluding employer CPF contributions and covering all resident households.
The minister issued a factual correction to his earlier parliamentary reply on the grant, ensuring the stated income criteria are accurately reflected in the official record.
The clarification was provided during the Ministry of Health’s Committee of Supply proceedings and circulated as a written statement with the Speaker’s leave.

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3 Mar 2023

Committee of Supply – Head I (Ministry of Social and Family Development)

Seah Kian Peng raised clarifications on increasing the supply of infant care teachers to address long waitlists, the timeline for reviewing ComCare and Public Assistance schemes, and empowering Social Service Officers (SSOs) with greater flexibility in assessing applicants.
Minister of State Sun Xueling responded that ECDA is using a three-pronged approach—reviewing working conditions, ensuring competitive salaries, and enhancing skills development—to recruit more early childhood educators, including targeting local and foreign manpower sources.
Minister Masagos Zulkifli noted that ComCare and Long-Term Assistance were last reviewed in August 2022, with ongoing monitoring of inflation, and that income eligibility is assessed holistically by SSOs with flexibility on a case-by-case basis.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua highlighted that ComCare applications are streamlined through SupportGoWhere, and ComLink is a policy sandbox for experimentation, with befrienders supported by SSO staff and trained in various competencies.
MPs raised questions about sheltered workshops for persons with disabilities, volunteer management for ComLink befrienders, and information sharing across agencies, with Eric Chua noting ongoing reviews and collaborative efforts to improve social service delivery.

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3 Mar 2023

Committee of Supply – Head I (Ministry of Social and Family Development)

MSF outlined its vision of a strengthened social compact centered on stability, self-reliance and social mobility for families, highlighting increased social spending, targeted subsidies, and initiatives like KidSTART and ComLink to support lower-income households.
Members raised questions on various policies, including support for single unwed mothers, preschool affordability, early intervention for children with developmental needs, and enhancing training and employment pathways for persons with disabilities.
The Minister shared updates on family support programmes, the expansion of KidSTART nationwide, and new Enabling Services and Business Hubs to better integrate services for persons with disabilities and their caregivers.

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3 Mar 2023

Average Rate of Increase in Property Tax for Private Residential Properties and Proposal to Reduce These for Properties Occupied by Elderly Retirees

Members of Parliament raised concerns about the rising property tax for owner-occupied private homes, particularly affecting elderly retirees who may be cash-poor but live in properties with high annual value due to neighborhood rental trends.
The Senior Minister of State for Finance explained that property tax is a wealth tax based on annual value, which is determined by comparable rental transactions, and confirmed a median compound annual growth rate of around 7% from 2020 to 2023.
The government stated it does not plan to reduce property tax rates for elderly retirees but instead supports them through broader assistance schemes like the Assurance Package and healthcare subsidies.
Officials emphasized that the tax system is designed to be fair and progressive, with property considered an asset and part of wealth, and noted that IRAS excludes outlier rentals when computing annual value.
Parliamentarians questioned the definition of wealth for retirees with high-value homes but low income, but the government maintained that assets like property contribute to wealth assessment and alternative support measures are preferred over tax concessions.

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2 Mar 2023

Appeals for Community Development Council Vouchers and Steps to Ensure Veracity

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked about the processing of appeals for CDC vouchers and how to ensure the genuineness of reasons given, especially for leased residential premises.
Mr Edwin Tong explained that every Singaporean household can claim $300 in CDC vouchers in 2023 as part of GST support, and appeals can be made if households are unable to claim due to shared addresses.
Appeals require supporting documents like tenancy agreements, marriage certificates, or HDB key collection letters to prove household status, and are generally approved if the applicant belongs to a different household and has not claimed before.

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2 Mar 2023

Annual Values as of 2022 Used to Determine Eligibility for Social Support Schemes in 2023

MOF confirmed that the 2023 social support schemes will use the 2022 Annual Values to determine eligibility, ensuring seniors' benefits are unaffected, and will engage them through the Silver Generation Office and media to provide assurance.
The Government will monitor and encourage seniors to apply for schemes requiring applications through ongoing face-to-face interactions with Silver Generation Ambassadors and mass media communications.
For 2024 scheme eligibility, the Government plans to communicate details to seniors and their families in advance, though specific lead times were not detailed in the debate.

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1 Mar 2023

Committee of Supply – Head S (Ministry of Manpower)

The debate focused on the challenge of an ageing workforce, with MPs urging the government to redesign jobs for older workers, expand part-time work opportunities, and enhance support schemes like the Part-time Re-employment Grant to prevent a "cliff-drop" in the workforce.
Concerns were raised about the impact of foreign manpower policies on local PMEs and SMEs, with calls for finer calibration of frameworks like COMPASS and the Shortage Occupation List to ensure complementarity while protecting Singaporean jobs.
The House discussed strengthening retirement adequacy, including CPF reforms for seniors and platform workers, while ensuring progressive wage increases for lower-income workers through the Progressive Wage Model and Workfare support.

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28 Feb 2023

Data on Hawkers on Hawkers Claiming Workfare Income Supplement and Efforts to Supplement Incomes of Hawkers

Mr Leong Mun Wai inquired about the number and percentage of hawkers claiming Workfare Income Supplement, outreach efforts to eligible self-employed persons, and additional government measures to support hawkers’ incomes amid rising costs.
The Workfare Income Supplement scheme automatically provides up to $2,800 annually to eligible self-employed persons like hawkers, with about 50% of stallholders receiving it in 2020, while others are ineligible due to income, age, or MediSave contribution issues.
The CPF Board engages lower-income self-employed persons through multilingual letters, websites, and social media campaigns to promote Workfare eligibility and MediSave contributions.
The government supports hawkers through low rentals and direct household assistance like Community Development Council vouchers to offset food costs, rather than using Workfare to cover business expenses.
Workfare is designed to encourage work and retirement savings, not to offset business cost increases for self-employed persons like hawkers.

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28 Feb 2023

Outcome of Appeals to Use MediSave beyond Current Limits for Assisted Conception Procedures

MOH receives about 30 appeals annually from couples seeking to use MediSave beyond the current limits for Assisted Conception Procedures, out of roughly 7,000 ACP cycles that use MediSave each year.
Appeals are approved only in exceptional cases, such as families facing unexpected medical complications or financial difficulties, with a low overall success rate given MediSave’s primary purpose for basic healthcare needs in retirement.
The top reasons for rejecting appeals include insufficient demonstration of exceptional hardship, the availability of alternative financing options, and the need to preserve MediSave for future retirement healthcare needs.

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28 Feb 2023

Homes with Annual Values between $13,000 and $21,000 and above $21,000

Leong Mun Wai asked for the percentage of homes with Annual Values between $13,000 and $21,000 and above $21,000 for each year since 2010.
Lawrence Wong provided data for the last five years, showing that in 2018, about 10% of homes had Annual Values between $13,000 and $21,000 and 20% had values above $21,000.
In 2023, these proportions increased to around 30% and 25% respectively due to rising market rentals.
The government clarified that 2023 social support scheme eligibility is based on 2022 Annual Values, not the revised 2023 figures, and will continue reviewing schemes to ensure support for those in need.

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27 Feb 2023

Public Transport Vouchers Disbursed with Letters Bearing Letterheads of Citizens' Consultative Committees

Mr Leong Mun Wai questioned why Public Transport Vouchers are distributed on letters with Citizens’ Consultative Committees (CCCs) letterheads, what other government payments are disbursed via CCCs or other grassroots organisations (GROs), and the role of grassroots advisers in this process.
The Minister explained that GROs, including CCCs, help administer government programmes and support community outreach, with Grassroots Advisers guiding their efforts and assisting needy households through schemes like the CCC ComCare Fund.
For Public Transport Vouchers, GROs notify eligible households, raise awareness, administer the programme, and assess applications from those who marginally miss eligibility or need additional support.

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27 Feb 2023

Balance in MediSave Amounts Following Death of CPF Account Holders

Patrick Tay asked for statistics on the number of CPF account holders who died with different ranges of MediSave balances, but the Ministry only provided data for those aged 85 or older.
The Ministry highlighted that for those who die at an advanced age, most have relatively low MediSave balances, with only a small proportion having more than $10,000.
Tay suggested allowing greater MediSave use for chronic illnesses, rare diseases, and life-prolonging treatments, while the Ministry noted existing Flexi-MediSave enhancements and schemes for terminal illness.
The Ministry emphasized ongoing reviews to balance affordability and savings for future healthcare needs.

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24 Feb 2023

Debate on Annual Budget Statement

Members highlighted the need for better employment and respite care support for caregivers of persons with severe disabilities, while also questioning the adequacy of assistance for middle-income families, singles, and seniors.
The debate addressed fiscal sustainability, with the government defending the need for the GST increase and explaining its revenue and expenditure projections, while some members suggested alternative revenue options like wealth taxes.
Concerns were raised about the impact of government policies on housing affordability, business competitiveness, and wage growth, with the government defending its approach to land pricing, industry transformation, and supporting lower-wage workers.

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24 Feb 2023

Protocols and Fee Levels for COVID-19 Treatment Administered by Private Practitioners

The Ministry of Health explained that COVID-19 treatment is now managed under the standard healthcare framework, with fees for mild cases at polyclinics similar to other respiratory diseases (around $20-$35 for subsidised patients) and severe cases covered by the S+3M support scheme (subsidies, MediShield Life, MediSave, MediFund).
General practitioners can set their own fees for mild COVID-19 symptoms, but the government encourages public communication of costs and ensures financial assistance is available for those unable to pay, including for long COVID or ICU treatment.
To encourage timely medical attention, especially for the elderly, the government emphasises that the S+3M framework fully covers bills for financially needy patients, and no special COVID-19 protocols or subsidies are maintained as the disease is treated like other endemic illnesses.

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23 Feb 2023

Impact of Surge of Wealth from Investments by Family Offices on Income Gap in Singapore

The government stated that family offices, while enhancing Singapore’s wealth management role and creating jobs, have not been found to impact income inequality, with the Gini coefficient declining from 0.478 in 2012 to 0.437 in 2022 before further redistribution.
Income growth for lower-income workers has outpaced median growth, with real annualised income at the 20th percentile rising 3.5% from 2012 to 2022, higher than the median’s 2.6% growth.
The government emphasises a balanced approach through economic growth, re-skilling initiatives like Workfare and the Progressive Wage Model, and a progressive tax-and-transfer system to ensure all Singaporeans benefit from investments and maintain social mobility.

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23 Feb 2023

Debate on Annual Budget Statement

Members called for greater support for SMEs, including streamlined grant applications, foreign worker quota reviews, and targeted assistance to help businesses navigate rising costs and manpower constraints, while also advocating for enhanced support for special needs students in ITEs, including more resources, teacher training, and inclusive facilities.
Debates highlighted concerns about fiscal sustainability, with proposals to treat land sales proceeds as revenue over lease periods, revise corporate tax structures to ensure larger, profitable companies contribute more, and strengthen social safety nets, including unemployment support and retirement adequacy, while cautioning against measures that might fuel housing price spirals.
Parliament emphasized the importance of tripartism, wage progression through the Progressive Wage Model, and uplifting lower-wage workers, alongside calls for better support for gig workers, women returners, and seniors, including digital access, caregiver support, and age-friendly workplace policies, to build a resilient and inclusive society.

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22 Feb 2023

Data on CPF Members Who Are Unable to Set Aside CPF Full Retirement Sum in Retirement Account

About 33% of active CPF members who turned 55 in 2022, approximately 13,400 individuals, did not set aside the Full Retirement Sum, with 6,100 being male and 7,300 being female.
The lower savings among older female members are attributed to historically lower labor force participation and median income for females compared to males.
Improved employment outcomes for both genders are expected to reduce the proportion of members unable to set aside the FRS from about 33% to about 24% over the next five years.
The forecast indicates the number of such members will decrease from around 13,400 to about 11,500 in five years.

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