Social welfare — Topics

10 Jul 2018

CPF Account Withdrawals and Cancellations by Singaporeans and Permanent Residents

As of end 2017, 42% of individuals who turned 55 in 2016 did not withdraw any CPF funds within a year, while about 53% met their Full Retirement Sum and half of them left additional funds beyond the required amount.
An annual average of 13,500 CPF members, representing 0.4% of total members, withdrew their CPF monies between 2013 and 2017 when leaving Singapore, including former Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents, and foreigners.
The CPF Board does not track the number of former Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who choose to retain their CPF funds after giving up their status, nor does it provide specific data on PRs who have withdrawn and cancelled their accounts over the past 10 to 20 years.

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10 Jul 2018

Support for Non-profit Organisations Promoting Lifelong Employability of Seniors

The government funds continuing education and training programmes for seniors through initiatives like the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy, which includes pre-approved courses from non-profit organizations such as Tsao Foundation's Hua Mei Training Academy.
The Ministry of Manpower promotes progressive workplace practices for seniors through partnerships with entities like the Singapore National Employers Federation, offering grants like WorkPro to redesign jobs and support older workers' productivity.
MOM implements direct employability measures for older workers, including the Special Employment Credit Scheme for wage offsets, the Adapt and Grow initiative for job search support, and Professional Conversion Programmes with salary assistance to address skills and wage mismatches.
Non-profit organizations partnering with the government receive funding support, exemplified by assistance to Fei Yue Family Service Centre for running the Family Central's Elder Education Department to promote lifelong learning for seniors.

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10 Jul 2018

Care Provisions in Welfare Homes and Support for Reintegration into Community

Christopher de Souza asked about the care provisions and reintegration support provided in welfare homes, with Desmond Lee responding that these homes offer long-term care to destitute persons under the Destitute Persons Act, with needs assessed and individualised care plans reviewed regularly.
Residents receive lodging with their own bed and personal space, nutritionist-endorsed meals, regular medical reviews and nursing care, fully subsidised standard medical treatment at public institutions, and counselling or therapy for emotional and social needs.
The Ministry sets minimum care standards, conducts unannounced inspections, and uses a Board of Visitors to ensure quality of care, while residents undergo rehabilitation to build skills for independent living.
Those with high reintegration potential are supported through external employment, home leave, and pre-discharge programmes, and are linked to community resources and family reconciliation efforts to facilitate their return to society.
Welfare Homes are run by voluntary welfare organisations with Ministry funding, and staff collaborate with volunteers and community agencies to strengthen rehabilitation and reintegration.

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10 Jul 2018

CareShield Life

Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat explained that the existing cohort will join CareShield Life in 2021 to allow staggered implementation, ensuring the IT and support systems are ready for the initial 600,000 people, with plans to extend to approximately two million others afterward to manage administrative efficiency.
Minister Gan Kim Yong clarified that cash withdrawal from MediSave for long-term care needs is separate from CareShield Life, available to anyone over 30 with severe disability, and can only be accessed using the applicant's or spouse's MediSave, not other family members' accounts.
Chee Hong Tat addressed questions on transparency, noting the complex nature of the actuarial model and promising discussions with the independent Council and actuaries on sharing details, while highlighting differences in premium rebates between CareShield Life and the existing ElderShield scheme.

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10 Jul 2018

CareShield Life

The CareShield Life scheme, a new universal long-term care insurance plan, will replace ElderShield to provide lifelong cash payouts for Singaporeans who become severely disabled, with future cohorts from 1980 onwards automatically enrolled from age 30 to ensure inclusivity and risk-pooling.
To ensure affordability, the government will provide means-tested premium subsidies of up to 30%, transitional subsidies for the first five years, and additional support for those in financial need, with premiums payable via MediSave and optional upgrades from existing ElderShield policies.
The scheme will be administered by the CPF Board on a not-for-profit basis, overseen by an independent council to set premiums and payouts, and complemented by new measures allowing MediSave withdrawals for long-term care and the ElderFund scheme for low-income severely disabled citizens.

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10 Jul 2018

Rationale for Not Replacing ElderShield with CareShield Life

Several MPs raised concerns about transitioning from ElderShield to CareShield Life, questioning the lack of transitional subsidies, gender-neutral premiums, actuarial transparency, cost-efficiency compared to private insurers, and adequacy of premium support for low-income individuals.
The Minister for Health deferred detailed responses to an upcoming Motion on CareShield Life, indicating that the government would address these issues collectively rather than individually.
Key questions focused on ensuring fair and affordable coverage, transparency in premium calculations, and maintaining or improving cost-efficiency under the government-administered scheme.

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10 Jul 2018

Measures to Mitigate Increasing Cost of Living

The Minister for Trade and Industry outlined that while overall inflation remains low, specific groups like retirees and low-income households face higher cost pressures, and the government has adopted an eight-pronged strategy to manage living costs, including keeping the economy competitive, managing the Singapore dollar’s strength, and promoting market competition.
The government focuses targeted help on those most in need, such as through U-Save rebates and subsidies, while also enabling consumer choice and leveraging social enterprises like NTUC to benchmark prices and provide affordable options, acknowledging the challenge of "higher sticker prices" that may psychologically impact consumers.
During the debate, MPs raised concerns about the sandwich middle-income group, rising food and rental costs, and anti-profiteering, with the Minister responding that strategies like consumer education, wage growth support, and open market initiatives aim to address these issues, while emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to protect consumers without stifling business innovation.

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9 Jul 2018

Workfare Income Supplement Employee-recipients by Age Group

Mr Zainal Sapari asked for the number of Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) employee-recipients and total expenditure by age group from 2015 to 2017, as well as the considerations in determining WIS payouts.
Mrs Josephine Teo provided a table showing the number of employees receiving WIS and the total WIS amount allotted annually for each year from 2015 to 2017, broken down by the four WIS age groups.
WIS is targeted at workers in the bottom 20% by income percentile, with support extended to those up to the 30th percentile, and older employees generally receive higher payouts than younger ones.
The number of WIS recipients fluctuates with income changes, and the scheme undergoes a three-yearly review to ensure over 20% of Singaporean employees remain eligible, with the next review results to be announced in 2019 for 2020 implementation.

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9 Jul 2018

Additional Interest Rates for Low-income Groups' CPF Savings

MP Gan Thiam Poh asked whether the government could give extra interest rates on CPF savings to support low-income groups’ retirement needs.
The Ministry of Manpower explained that CPF already provides a progressive interest structure, giving higher effective rates to members with lower balances through base rates, extra interest on the first $60,000, and additional extra interest for those aged 55 and above.
The government also supports low-wage workers through the Workfare Income Supplement scheme, which includes CPF top-ups, with over $400 million credited into CPF accounts in 2017 alone.

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9 Jul 2018

Extending Lease Buyback Scheme to 5-room HDB Flats

Henry Kwek asked if the Lease Buyback Scheme could be extended to 5-room HDB flats due to selling difficulties in mature estates.
Lawrence Wong explained the scheme started in 2009 for low-income elderly in 3-room or smaller flats and was extended to 4-room flats in 2015.
He noted that elderly owners of 5-room flats already have monetisation options like renting out rooms, moving in with family, or right-sizing to smaller flats with possible Silver Housing Bonus.
The Ministry and HDB remain committed to providing varied monetisation options and will monitor the situation for potential scheme extensions.

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9 Jul 2018

Waiver of Resale Levy for Senior Citizen Applicants Aged 55 and Above for 2-room Flexi Flats

Gan Thiam Poh proposed waiving the resale levy for senior citizens aged 55 and above purchasing 2-room flexi flats.
Lawrence Wong explained that the resale levy ensures fair allocation of housing subsidies, as first-time buyers receive greater subsidies than repeat buyers.
He noted existing measures to assist seniors, such as waiving accrued interest on the percentage resale levy and capping the levy for short-lease 2-room flexi flats.
The government will continue reviewing policies to balance fairness and support for seniors in public housing.

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9 Jul 2018

Published Data for Singapore's Gini Coefficient Measuring Income Inequality

The Department of Statistics publishes Singapore's Gini coefficient based on household income from work, which includes both employer and employee CPF contributions as compensation.
In 2017, the Gini coefficient including employer CPF was 0.459, while the version excluding employer CPF was 0.468, due to the wage ceiling on employer contributions.
DOS does not publish a Gini coefficient that excludes both employer and employee CPF contributions from household income from work.

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9 Jul 2018

Payment of SG Bonus

The SG Bonus will be disbursed to all adult Singaporeans at the end of the year.
Individual letters and SMS notifications will be sent in October 2018 to inform citizens about the bonus amount and payment dates.
Citizens using PayNow linked to their NRIC will receive the payout earlier than those using direct bank crediting or cheques.

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9 Jul 2018

Increasing Subsidy Rates under Community Health Assist Scheme for non-Pioneer Generation Seniors Aged above 60

Kwek Hian Chuan Henry asked if the Government will consider increasing subsidy rates under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) for non-Pioneer Generation seniors aged above 60, citing their lower retirement adequacy compared to younger Singaporeans.
Gan Kim Yong noted that CHAS was launched in 2012 and is regularly reviewed to ensure Singaporeans have access to affordable, quality primary care, with expansions like adding more chronic conditions in 2014 and 2015.
The Minister confirmed that the Ministry will continue to review CHAS regularly and will take into account the Member's feedback in this process.

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9 Jul 2018

Consumption Rate of Pioneer Generation Fund

Azmoon Ahmad asked about the annual consumption rate, number of individuals served, and the expected lifespan of the $8 billion Pioneer Generation Fund since March 2015.
Heng Swee Keat responded that about 450,000 Pioneers have benefited, with over $1.3 billion disbursed as of May 2018, averaging around $430 million annually.
The remaining fund balance is approximately $7.2 billion, including interest, and it is expected to be sufficient for the full cost of the Pioneer Generation Package over time.
Financial statements are presented in Parliament and available online, with the fund's adequacy based on current estimates and accumulated interest.

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9 Jul 2018

Details and Framework of Workings of The Special Needs Trust Company

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef inquired about the details and framework of The Special Needs Trust Company (SNTC), including its objectives, partnerships, and alignment with SG Enable.
SNTC is a non-profit trust company that provides affordable trust management services for persons with special needs, supported by case managers who develop and review care plans with caregivers to safeguard long-term financial and care needs.
SNTC collaborates with community partners like Social Service Offices and plans to expand partnerships with special education schools, hospitals, and professionals to educate caregivers on planning ahead.
SG Enable focuses on employment for persons with disabilities and building support networks for caregivers, with MSF leveraging synergies between SNTC and SG Enable, such as shared information and caregiver support spaces.
MSF announced that ComCare applicants with disabilities will receive information on SNTC and SG Enable schemes at Social Service Offices, with a pilot video-conferencing link set up for consultations.

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18 May 2018

Review Use and Transfer of Untapped Edusave Account Monies

Azmoon Ahmad questioned whether Edusave funds could cover school fees for low-income families and if unused balances could be transferred to SkillsFuture after schooling.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary clarified that Edusave is for enrichment and extra fees, with unutilised amounts moving to the Post-Secondary Education Account for later educational use.
He explained that low-income students receive support via the MOE Financial Assistance Scheme, which waives fees and provides other aids, making Edusave use for school fees unnecessary.
Azmoon Ahmad asked for 2017 FAS enrollment figures, but the official did not have the data and offered to address it via a separate parliamentary question.
Both sides affirmed commitment to affordable education, with regular reviews of assistance schemes to support students from low-income families.

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18 May 2018

Profile of Singaporeans on Public Transport Concession Schemes

The number of Singapore Residents with public transport concession cards increased from 1.4 million to 1.8 million over five years, with the senior citizen scheme accounting for over 40% of concession holders; by 2020, nearly 900,000 residents aged 60 and above are expected to qualify.
Senior citizens’ average journeys increased by around 50% over five years, while concession pass holders grew by about 30%, indicating more travel possibly due to factors beyond the concession scheme.
Concession schemes are reviewed by the Public Transport Council to ensure affordability, with low-income residents’ monthly transport expenditure as a share of household income dropping from 4.2% to 2.7% over the past decade; most schemes are cross-funded by full-fare paying commuters, except for government-funded Workfare and disability schemes.
The government will continue to review and potentially enhance concession schemes to address the ageing population and changing needs, while balancing financial sustainability of the transport system with fare affordability.

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17 May 2018

Debate on President's Address

Kuik Shiao-Yin highlights concerns from youth about trust, unity, and Singapore's future, urging leaders to listen more openly to dissenting views and include diverse voices in governance.
She emphasizes tackling social inequality holistically, advocating for policies that support both children and their parents, and proposing a new well-being index to measure progress beyond GDP.
The speech calls for a new era of leadership that embraces bold, inclusive changes and empowers citizens to shape Singapore's identity together.

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17 May 2018

Debate on President's Address

Several MPs called for greater trust in the 4G leadership and among Singaporeans, emphasizing that trust is the foundation for partnership and unity in facing future challenges.
The debate highlighted the need to adapt to a changing world, with suggestions for pro-business regulatory reforms, support for SMEs, and balancing economic growth with social inclusion.
Housing policies, including lease decay, elderly-friendly design, and affordability, were central concerns, with calls for clearer long-term plans and more support for vulnerable groups.
MPs urged the government to be more consultative and responsive, addressing inequality, improving social mobility, and ensuring policies are fair and just for all citizens.
The future of Singapore was framed as requiring bold, collective efforts in urban planning, infrastructure, and social compact, with an emphasis on innovation, inclusivity, and resilience.

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