800,000 HDB households to receive utilities rebates in Oct

SINGAPORE — About 800,000 Singaporean Housing and Development Board (HDB) households will receive S$45 million worth of GST Voucher — Utilities-Save (U-Save) rebates in next month, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said today (Sept 30).

The GST Voucher - U-Save, a component of the permanent GST Voucher scheme, is designed to help lower and middle-income Singaporean households with their living expenses. It is currently paid out four times a year, said the MOF.

Next month, eligible households will each receive a GST Voucher - U-Save of up to S$65, depending on their HDB flat type.

Those living in one- to two-room HDB flats can offset about three to four months of utilities bills on average with their regular GST Voucher - U-Save, while those living in three- to four-room HDB flats can offset up to two months of utilities bills on average.

In Budget 2014, a one-off GST Voucher - U-Save Special Payment was announced, with larger rebates for smaller flats. The first tranche of this Special Payment, which is paid out in addition to the regular GST voucher, was given out in July, while the next tranche will be made in January next year, said the MOF.

The Special Payment can, on average, offset another three to four months of utilities bills for those living in one- and two-room flats, and about one month of utilities bills for those living in three- to four-room flats.