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Should you run into financial hardship before you manage to find a job, there are various financial assistance schemes to help you tide over your most difficult period.
How can I get help if I need financial assistance?
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Public Assistance Scheme (PA)
This scheme assists Singapore citizens who, because of old age, ill health, disability or unfavourable circumstances, are unable to work or have no means of subsistence and have no one to depend on. A monthly grant is provided for their day to day expenses.
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Self-Reliance Programme (SReP)
You and your family need assistance to tide over a difficult period, you may be able to get help from the Self-Reliance Programme. This programme provides targeted shost-term assistance to help families sort out their family issues and be self-sufficient.
Depending on the needs of the family, one or more of the following types of assistance may be provided:
- Rental, utilities and service & conservancy vouchers;
- Monthly cash grant to meet basic needs;
- Children's educational assistance; and/or
- Medical assistance.
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Work Assistance Programme (WAP)
If you are out of job and need some help looking for a new job, you may get help under WAP. Depending of the needs of the family, one or more of the following types of assistance may be provided. WAP assistance will be provided for up to 3 months. The exact type and amount of assistance will be based on the needs of your family.
- Job placement services
- Case management services
- Monthly cash grant
- Educatonal assistance for children
- Grant to help with utilities and service & conserrvancy charges
Apply for WAP at the CDC in your district. | |
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Ministry of Education Financial Assistance Scheme (MOE-FAS)
The Ministry of Education Financial Assistance Scheme provides financial assistance for needy pupils in government and government-aided schools.
The student must be a Singapore Citizen and meets one of the following conditions:
- The family's gross household income does not exceed $900 per month for families with one or two children, and $1,050 per month for families with three of more children or
- The family is in receipt of social welfare aid (i.e. RUAS or PAS) and the head of household has an official registration pass for social welfare aid or
- The pupil is an inmate in a welfare organization.
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Special Grant (SG)
The Special Grant is administered parallel to the Public Assistance scheme. This scheme is meant to assist the Permanent Residents. The eligibility criteria and rates of assistance are similar to the Public Assistance Scheme.
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Interim (Short-term) Financial Assistance Scheme (IFAS)
The Interim Financial Assistance Scheme assists individuals or families who need short-term financial help to tide them over a difficult period. A monthly grant is provided to help meet the day to day expenses of the household. The grant is given for three months and subject to further review. Individuals/families residing in 1-4 room HDB purchased flats who have fallen into utilities and/or service and conservancy charges arrears due to crisis or difficulties faced could also apply for assistance under this Scheme. IFAS is also extended to assist families who are unable to pay for their children's schooling expenses, like school fees, purchase of textbooks/exercise books, stationery and transport costs.
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Centre-based Financial Assistance Scheme for Child Care (CFAC)
The Centre-based Financial Assistance Scheme for Child Care is a child care financial assistance scheme to enable lower-income families to access child care service. A child care subsidy is given on top of the existing Government subsidy for child care. The subsidy quantum is pegged to the household income. A one-off grant is also provided to help lower-income families with the start-up costs for placing their children in a child care programme. Applications are made through the child care centres.
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Home Ownership Plus Education (HOPE) Scheme
Low income families and their children will be provided with more help to break out of the poverty cycle through the HOPE scheme. As individuals from low income families tend to be lowly educated, the scheme will provide grants to help the parents upgrade themselves. The children will be given bursaries to ensure they recceive a good education. Every eligible family could receive up to $100,000 worth of benefits.
HOPE will replace the existing Small Families Improvement Scheme (SFIS) currently administered by te Community Development Councils.
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Fee Assistance for children placed in Student Care Centres (SCCs)
Working parents who place their children in SCCs or the before-and-after-school programmes could seek financial assistance, if required. These are provided to SCCs which are based in schools or run by voluntary welfare organisations such as Family Service Centres and community-based organisations, but not for privately run SCCs. Assistance is provided on a sliding scale, based on the family's gross monthly household income and centre-type, as follows: |
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Gross Household Income |
Fee assistance to parents for FSC/community-based SCC |
Fee assistance to parents for School-based SCC |
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up to $1500 |
$150 |
$123 |
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$1501 - $2000 |
$105 |
$83 |
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$2001 - $2500 |
$52 |
$42 |
Parents are to make enquiry about this assistance from the SCCs where they have enrolled, or plan to enroll their children.
Unless stated otherwise, the above schemes are administered by the Community Development Councils (CDCs). The CDCs also run various local assistance schemes to complement the above schemes. For further details on the schemes, please contact:
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Community Development Council National Helpline
Tel: 1800- 344 1234
Or visit CDC's website at http://www.cdc.org.sg |
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Public/Social Assistance Schemes at a glance
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For Low-Income Families |
For Middle-Income Families |
For the Elderly |
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Housing & Utilities |
- Postpone monthly payment for your flat for up to 1 year
- Stretch loans to 30 years
- Make family members joint owners so that their CPF can also be used
- Get help of $90/month for utilities and $35/month for conservancy fees up to 3 months
- If renting flat, can apply for more subsidies under the RUAS for 6 months (check with CDCs)
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- Postpone monthly payment for your flat for up to 1 year
- Extend loan repayment to 30 years
- Make family members joint owners so that their CPF can also be used
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- If renting a flat, can apply for more subsidies under the SReP for 6 months (check with CDCs)
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School Fees |
- No need to pay school fees under MOE's Financial Assistance Scheme, which also offers to help pay for miscellaneous fees and textbooks (check with FSCs or CDCs)
- SINDA & MENDAKI help with tuition expenses
- Singapore National Co-operative Federation and NTUC Education Grant Scheme give a one-time S$100 grant per child
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- No need to pay school fees under MOE's Financial Assistance Scheme, which also offers to help pay for miscellaneous fees and textbooks(check with FSCs or CDCs)
- SINDA & MENDAKI help with tuition expenses
- Singapore National Co-operative Federation and NTUC Education Grant Scheme give a one-time S$100 grant per child
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N.A |
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Jobs |
- Approach MOM's career centre, CareerLink@mom or the nearest CDC
- Try job search websites, recruitment firms, job fairs
- Training allowance under SRP
- Training sponsorship from Self-help Groups
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- Try job search websites, recruitment firms, job fairs
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- Golden Manpower Progamme (Central Singapore CDC) helps to find jobs for the elderly
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Health |
- Medical assistance schemes by CDCs
- 10% off hospital bill if warded in B2 or C class ward or when going for subsidized day surgery
- If retrenched, get a further 40% off
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- 10% off hospital bill if warded in B2 or C class ward or when going for subsidized day surgery
- If retrenched, get a further 40% off
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- Free clinics (Singapore Buddhist free Clinics in Amg Mo Kio, Geylang, Jurong, Redhill and Tanjong Pagar)
- Primary care Partnership Scheme for people who are 65 and above with personal income of less than S$700
- 10% off hospital bill if warded in B2 or C class ward or when going for subsidized day surgery
- If retrenched, can get a further 40% off
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Cash |
- Public Assistance Scheme provides S$230 - $670 per month, depending on household size
- Interim (Short-Term) Financial Assistance Scheme provides a monthly grant
- Economic Downturn Relief Scheme provides S$200 monthly for 3 months
- Short-term financial help from CDCs
- New Singapore Shares
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- Economic Downturn Relief Scheme gives retrenched workers up to $200/month for 3 months
- New Singapore Shares
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- Public Assistance Scheme provides S$230 - S$670 per month, depending on household size
- Interim (Short-term) Financial Assistance scheme gives a monthly grant over a period of time
- New Singapore Shares
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Food |
- Get vouchers for groceries and household items at participating shops in the neighbourhood through various CDC schemes (NE CDC's Neighbourhood Provisions Assistance scheme, Hougang CDC's Food Voucher Assistance Scheme, Potong Pasir CDC's Provision Assistance Scheme, Central Singapore's Grocery Assistance)
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- Central Singapore CDC's Neighbourhood Meals Programme provides meals several times a week at senior-activity centres
- Community Outreach Programme for Elderly (COPE) provides meals-on-wheels, laundry and medical support and help with housekeeping
- Get vouchers for groceries at participating shops in the neighbourhood through various CDC schemes
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Useful Contact Numbers
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Financial Assistance |
Telephone No. |
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National Family Service Helpline (FSC) |
1800-838 0100 |
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CDAC Hotline |
6843 5599 |
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SINDA Hotline |
1800-295 4554 |
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SINDA Family Service Centre |
6393 7260 |
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MENDAKI Hotline
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6254 7931 |
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Association of Muslim Professionals Hotline |
6436 0110 |
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