The Government introduced a new $1.6 billion Care and Support Package to help households cope with cost of living in this economic slowdown and the uncertainties of the coronavirus outbreak.
All Singaporeans aged 21 and older will be getting a one-off CASH of between $100 and $300 depending on their income in 2019 and property ownership. If they have a child below 20 years old, they will get another $100 in cash.
Singaporeans aged 50 and older this year will get a $100 top-up to their PAssion cards.
Low income Singaporeans will also get extra help to cope with their daily living expenses. All adult Singaporeans who live in one-or two-room Housing Board flats and do not own more than one property will also get $100 in grocery vouchers that can be used at major supermarkets this year and next year.
Singaporean workers and those self-employed who received the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) in 2019 will qualify for a new Workfare Special Payment this year.
This special payment – an additional 20 per cent of the total annual WIS payout the worker received last year – will be given in cash. The minimum payment is $100 and can go up to $720 and $480 for workers and self-employed persons respectively depending on their age.
Workers with disabilities who are aged below 35 last year, and who meet the WIS criteria, will receive a Workfare Special Payment of between $100 and $300.
To qualify for WIS, Singaporeans must be 35 and older, earn a gross monthly income of not more than $2,300, among other criteria.
These measures are on top of existing schemes, like the GST Voucher U-Save rebate and service and conservancy charges rebates.
To further assist Singaporeans with daily living expenses, they will be getting additional GST Voucher (GSTV) – U-Save in the new financial year. All eligible HDB households will receive double their regular of U-Save rebates through a one-off GSTV – U-Save Special Payment. Eligible households with five or more members will receive an additional GSTV – U-Save rebate of between $120 to $200 in FY2020. The total is 2.5 times their regular GSTV – U-Save in FY2020.
The Government also extended rebates on service and conservancy charges (S&CC) for another year. Eligible Singaporean households living in HDB flats will receive rebates to offset between 1.5 and 3.5 months of S&CC in April, July, and October this year and January 2021.
Separately, the Government will provide a grant of $10 million over two years to self-help groups, and another grant of $20 million to Community Development Councils. This will help to fund community programmes to support needy households.
This is the Government’s continued commitment to improve the lives of Singaporeans and Singapore’s future generations. The Care and Support package will continue to support our Singaporeans’ families and to provide additional and timely help for our households to cope with their concerns on cost of living.
