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  1. GST Credits
  2. Senior Citizens’ Bonus
  3. Top-ups to Post-Secondary Education Accounts
  4. Utilities-Save, Service and Conservancy Charges and Rental Rebates
  5. Property Tax Rebate
  6. Assistance for Low-Income Families with Young Children
  7. Assistance for Pensioners
  8. Public Transport Fund
  9. Assistance through Citizens’ Consultative Committees (CCCs), Self-Help Groups and VWOs
  10. Additional Subsidies for Healthcare, Education and Service and Conservancy Charges

1. GST Credits

In Budget 2007, it was announced that all adult Singaporean will get GST Credits of up to $1,000 over 4 years to help them with the impact of the GST increase. Those who earn less or live in smaller homes will get more GST Credits. Nearly three-quarters of adult Singaporeans will get $800 each. NSFs and NSmen will also get a one-off $100 GST Credits to recognize their contributions to national security.

* As announced in Budget 2009, the amount of GST Credits payouts that adult Singaporeans stand to receive in 2009 will be doubled. The additional payout will be given out in March 2009.

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2. Senior Citizens’ Bonus

In Budget 2007, it was announced that lower-income elderly aged 55 and above, with an annual income of $100,000 or less, will also receive Senior Citizens' Bonus of $200 to $1,000 over 4 years. This is to help them meet living expenses out of their savings. Two-thirds of the Senior Citizens' Bonus will be given in cash and one-third credited to their Medisave Accounts.

* As announced in Budget 2009, the amount of Senior Citizen' Bonus payouts that adult Singaporeans stand to receive in 2009 will be doubled. The additional payout will be given out in March 2009.

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3. Top-ups to Post Secondary Education Accounts

Every Singapore citizen child aged from 7 to 20 received a top-up of $100 to $400 to his Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA) in 2008 and will again receive in 2009. Those who are older and from less well-off families will get a higher top-up to their PSEA. PSEAs will be automatically created for eligible children. Unused funds in the PSEA will be transferred to the account holder's CPF Ordinary Account (CPF-OA) when he turns 30.

The PSEA funds can be used by the account holder to pay for his own or his siblings' tuition fees at the following institutions:

  • 3 Autonomous Universities (i.e. NUS, NTU, SMU)
  • 5 Polytechnics (i.e. SP, NP, TP, NYP, RP) including degree programmes offered under the Polytechnic-Foreign Specialised Institution framework
  • Institute of Technical Education
  • LaSalle College of the Arts (MOE-funded diploma programmes)
  • Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (MOE-funded diploma programmes)
  • SIM University (UniSIM)
  • Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA)-accredited lead training providers.
  • Government Supported Special Education (SPED) Schools

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4. Utilities-Save, Service and Conservancy Charges and Rental Rebates

HDB households will get Utilities-Save (U-Save), Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC) and rental rebates over 5 years to help them cope with higher costs of living. Those living in smaller HDB flats will get more rebates.

U-Save Rebates

FY 1-Room 2-Room 3-Room 4-Room 5-Room Exec
2007 $220 $220 $220 $210 $140 $100
2008* $220
(+$110*)
$220
(+$110*)
$200
(+$100*)
$190
(+$95*)
$120
(+$60*)
$80
(+$40*)
2009 $200 $200 $180 $170 $100 $60
2010 $200 $200 $140 $130 $80 $50
2011 $180 $180 $100 $90 $60 $40
Total rebates* $1,020
(+$110*)
$1,020
(+$110*)
$840
(+$100*)
$790
(+$95*)
$500
(+$60*)
$330
(+$40*)

* Figures in brackets show the additional U-Save rebates announced at National Day Rally 2008.

Eligibility Criteria

HDB households who fulfill all of the criteria below will qualify for the U-Save rebates:
a) Singaporean households (i.e. at least one Singapore citizen lessee/essential occupier or fully sublet to at least one Singaporean tenant)
b) Lessees and essential occupiers or tenants of fully sublet flat do not own or share ownership in any private residential property, commercial and/or industrial property (including HDB commercial/industrial properties)

 

Number of months of S&CC Rebates

FY 1-Room 2-Room 3-Room 4-Room 5-Room Exec
2007 4.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 0.5
2008 4.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 0.5
2009* 3.0 (+1.0)* 2.0 (+1.0*) 2.0 (+1.0*) 1.0 (+0.5)* 1.0 (+0.5)* 0.5 (+0.5*)
2010 2.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5
2011 2.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5
Total number of months 15.0 (+1.0*) 12.0 (+1.0*) 8.0 (+1.0*) 7.0 (+0.5*) 5.0 (+0.5*) 2.5 (+0.5*)

* Figures in brackets show the additional S&CC as announced in Budget 2009.

Eligibility Criteria

HDB households who fulfill all of the criteria below will qualify for the S&CC rebates:
a) Singaporean households (i.e. at least one Singapore citizen lessee/essential occupier)
b) Lessees and essential occupiers do not own or share ownership in any private residential property, commercial and/or industrial property (including HDB commercial/industrial properties)
c) Flat-owners have not sublet their entire flat

 

Number of months of Rental Rebates

FY 1-Room 2-Room
2007 4.0 2.0
2008* 3.0 (+0.5*) 2.0 (+0.5*)
2009* 3.0 (+0.5*) 2.0 (+0.5*)
2010 3.0 1.0
2011 2.0 1.0
Total number of months 15 (+1.0*) 8 (+1.0*)

* Figures in brackets show the additional month of Rental as announced in Budget 2009.

Eligibility Criteria

HDB households who fulfill all of the criteria below will qualify for the Rental rebates:
a) Singaporean households (i.e. at least one Singapore citizen lessee/essential occupier) who pay subsidised rent
b) Tenants do not infringe tenancy agreements of rental flats

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5. Property Tax Rebate

An annual property tax rebate of up to $100 was given in 2008 and will again be given in 2009, to all owner-occupied residential properties, to further help households with their living expenses.

* As announced in Budget 2009, there will be a further Property Tax Rebate given to these households. Click here to find out more.

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6. Assistance for Low-Income Families with Young Children

To help lower-income families with young children, the Government increased financial assistance for kindergarten and child care. The level of subsidy for the Kindergarten Financial Assistance Scheme (KiFAS) was increased from 75% of kindergarten fees to 90% so low-income families will enjoy a subsidy of about $80 a month. Subsidies for the Centre-Based Financial Assistance Scheme for ChildCare (CFAC) was increased by between $20 and $40 a month for each child.

* As announced in Budget 2009, further financial assistance for school-going children will be given. Click here to find out more.

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7. Assistance for Pensioners

The Government will increase the Singapore Allowance by $20 per month and raise the gross pension ceiling from the current $1,100 to $1,150 per month.

* As announced in Budget 2009, the Singapore Allowance with be increased. Click here to find out more.

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8. Public Transport Fund

The Government committed $10 million to a Public Transport Fund (PTF), to be set up in October 2007, to be given out over 3 years to help lower-income households cope with their public transport costs where necessary.

* As announced in Budget 2009, a further top-up to the PTF will be given. Click here to find out more.

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9. Assistance through Citizens’ Consultative Committees (CCCs), Self-Help Groups and VWOs

The CCC ComCare Fund will receive a top-up of $5 million over 5 years to provide flexible assistance to low-income families who may face financial difficulties following the GST increase. In addition, the Government will provide $3 million over 5 years for Government-funded VWO programmes and $2 million over 5 years to the Self-Help Groups to support their efforts to help lower-income Singaporean families.

* As announced in Budget 2009, additional funding will be given to CCCs, SHGs and VWOs. Click here to find out more.

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10. Additional Subsidies for Healthcare, Education and Service and Conservancy Charges

The Government will continue to absorb the GST on subsidised education at $40 million a year, healthcare services at $12 million a year and will provide additional grants of $10 million a year to Town Councils to absorb GST payable on S&CC.

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