Greater aid for low-income families, persons with disabilities

SINGAPORE — More help will be given to families with children living in rental housing, said Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat in his Budget statement on Thursday (March 24), as he announced the Fresh Start Housing Scheme that will provide a grant up to S$35,000 to help these families own a two-room flat .

These families will however, need to demonstrate effort, such as the parents staying employed and making sure that their children attend school. The two-room flats will also be tagged with shorter leases.

More details on the scheme will be provided at the Ministry of National Development Committee of Supply debate.

For low-wage workers, the qualifying income ceiling for the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme – which supplements income and CPF savings – will be raised from S$1,900 to S$2,000 a month.

WIS payouts will also be increased. Workers earning between S$1,000 and S$1,600 a month will receive increases in payouts of S$100 to S$500. The scheme’s qualifying criteria will also be simplified so that workers will receive WIS payments more quickly — monthly rather than quarterly.

For those who are permanently unable to work, have little or no means of income and family support, they will receive a higher basic monthly cash allowance through the Public Assistance scheme. For instance, a two-person household who are both on the scheme will get an additional S$80 a month, making a total of S$870 in cash assistance each month.

For persons with disabilities who are earning low wages and are under 35 years old will now be eligible for the Workfare Training Support scheme.

Amid current economic conditions, a one-off GST Voucher of up to S$200 will be given out on top of the regular GST Vouchers. Households will also receive Service & Conservancy Charges rebate of between one and three months, depending on their flat type.

Government pensioners who are drawing lower pensions will also have their Singapore Allowance and monthly pension ceiling raised by S$20 each month to S$300 and S$1,230 respectively to benefit some 10,000 pensioners.

Delivery driver Lim Seow Meng, 43, who received the WIS payouts for the past two years, said it has been useful for him as it helped to offset some household expenses. “Even though it is a bit of money, it still help me in some way,” said Mr Lim, who earns S$1,250 a month.

Comfort relief taxi driver Ramanathan Mennappan, who has been receiving the WIS payouts over the past three to four years, said it has helped to subside his medical fees. Mr Ramanathan who has heart problems said he regularly goes to the doctor for consultation visits. ADDITIONAL REPORTING AMANDA LEE