SINGAPORE  — Singaporean households can now donate their remaining Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers from 2021 and 2022 to charity, the five CDCs and the People's Association (PA) announced on Tuesday (Dec 20).

The vouchers can be donated via the CDC vouchers scheme website from Tuesday until Jan 31, 2023.

"While Singaporean households are encouraged to claim and spend their vouchers before they expire on Dec 31, 2022, the CDCs have received public feedback that some Singapore households would like to share the balance amount of their vouchers with those who might need it more amidst concern over rising cost of living," the CDCs and PA said in a media release.

"The CDCs are now offering Singaporean households more flexibility in using CDC vouchers through a donation option."

To donate your household's remaining vouchers, head to the CDC vouchers scheme website and click on "Donate CDC Vouchers". Then select a listed charity and log in with Singpass to pledge your household's voucher balance as of Dec 31.

Categories of eligible charities include: Animal welfare, arts and heritage, children and youth, education, elderly, environment, families and children, healthcare, migrant community, persons with disabilities, and sports.

"The CDC vouchers would be donated in cash value instead of vouchers," the CDCs and PA said.

Tax deductions may be provided by the respective charities, depending on the respective charities' policies on the issuance of tax deductions, they added. This will be reflected in the Year of Assessment 2024.

The CDCs and PA said that 1.2 million – or 98 per cent – of Singaporean households have claimed their CDC vouchers for 2021 as of Dec 20. 

Separately, 1.16 million – or 95 per cent – of households have claimed their vouchers for this year.

"Of the vouchers distributed, more than S$218 million, or close to 90 per cent of the total CDC vouchers (for) 2021 and 2022 have been spent at close to 20,000 participating hawkers and heartland merchants," they added.

In a statement, Ms Low Yen Ling, chairman of the Mayors' Committee and Mayor of the South West District, said: "We hope Singaporeans will find this option to donate their 2021 and 2022 CDC vouchers to be a meaningful way of contributing to those in need.

"I am touched by the selfless spirit of Singaporeans who uplift one another in tough times.

"I am certain our strong sense of solidarity and resilience will help us weather challenges and forge ahead together as one nation."

The CDC vouchers scheme for 2023 will be launched on Jan 3 by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong. 

"Each Singaporean household will receive S$300 (in) CDC vouchers in early January – S$150 which can be spent at participating hawkers and heartland merchants," the CDCs and PA said, adding that the other S$150 can be used at participating supermarkets.

More details will be announced in due course.

The S$300 CDC vouchers for 2023 was first announced in October.

The CDC vouchers scheme was launched in June 2020, with 400,000 Singaporean households receiving S$50 worth of vouchers. A second tranche of vouchers followed in February 2021.

The vouchers were distributed digitally for the first time in December 2021, with 1.3 million households receiving S$100 in vouchers each. More vouchers were disbursed in May this year. CNA

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