SINGAPORE: A Cost-of-Living special payment of between S$200 (US$158) and S$400 will be given to eligible Singaporeans, along with S$500 in Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers to help with living expenses, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Thursday (Feb 12).
"The government will continue to do whatever is necessary to help Singaporeans manage cost pressures - for as long as it is needed," Mr Wong said in his Budget 2026 speech.
“Although inflation has eased in recent years, we know that many Singaporeans still face anxieties and pressures.”
The Cost-of-Living special payment is a one-off cash payout for Singaporeans aged 21 and above in 2026, who earn up to S$100,000 in assessable income and who do not own more than one property. They must also reside in Singapore.
The amount received will be determined by assessable income and the annual value of their residence.
The special payment scheme is expected to benefit around 2.4 million Singaporeans, with payments to be disbursed in September.
CDC vouchers, which will be split equally for spending at participating hawkers, heartland merchants and supermarkets, will be disbursed in January 2027 and will be valid until the end of that year.
The vouchers will benefit about 1.4 million Singaporean households.
The CDC Vouchers Scheme was launched in June 2020 and January 2021 to help lower-income households defray their cost of living, and to support hawkers and heartland merchants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since Budget 2021, the vouchers have been given out every year and to all Singaporean households.
In the last three tranches, households received S$300 in January 2025, S$500 in May 2025 and S$300 in January 2026. The latest vouchers this year will expire on Dec 31, 2026.
Mr Wong also announced additional U-Save rebates to help households with utility expenses.
Eligible Singaporean households living in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats and whose members do not own more than one property, will receive 1.5 times the amount of regular GST Voucher (GSTV)-U-Save in the 2026 financial year.
If the flat is partially rented out or not rented out, there must be at least one Singaporean owner or occupier in the household to be eligible for U-Save. For flats that are entirely rented out, there must be at least one Singaporean tenant.
The GST Voucher-U-Save will cushion the impact of higher utility bills due to an increase in the carbon tax, the Ministry of Finance said.
In total, eligible HDB households will receive up to S$570 in U-Save rebates in the 2026 financial year.
This will cover about five months of utility expenses for those living in one- and two-room flats, and about two months of utility expenses for those living in three- or four-room flats.
The Budget 2026 U-Save and regular GSTV-U-Save will benefit more than 1 million Singaporean households.
Budget 2026 U-Save will be credited to eligible households' utilities accounts with SP Services together with the regular GSTV-U-Save in April 2026 and July 2026.
Mr Wong said that the government will continue to review and enhance the social support system across housing, education, healthcare and retirement, and for different groups of people.
“We will keep working at this, steadily and responsibly, so that Singapore remains an inclusive and united society, and a place that we are all proud to call home,” said the prime minister.
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"The government will continue to do whatever is necessary to help Singaporeans manage cost pressures - for as long as it is needed," Mr Wong said in his Budget 2026 speech.
“Although inflation has eased in recent years, we know that many Singaporeans still face anxieties and pressures.”
The Cost-of-Living special payment is a one-off cash payout for Singaporeans aged 21 and above in 2026, who earn up to S$100,000 in assessable income and who do not own more than one property. They must also reside in Singapore.
The amount received will be determined by assessable income and the annual value of their residence.
The special payment scheme is expected to benefit around 2.4 million Singaporeans, with payments to be disbursed in September.
CDC vouchers, which will be split equally for spending at participating hawkers, heartland merchants and supermarkets, will be disbursed in January 2027 and will be valid until the end of that year.
The vouchers will benefit about 1.4 million Singaporean households.
The CDC Vouchers Scheme was launched in June 2020 and January 2021 to help lower-income households defray their cost of living, and to support hawkers and heartland merchants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since Budget 2021, the vouchers have been given out every year and to all Singaporean households.
In the last three tranches, households received S$300 in January 2025, S$500 in May 2025 and S$300 in January 2026. The latest vouchers this year will expire on Dec 31, 2026.
ADDITIONAL REBATES
Mr Wong also announced additional U-Save rebates to help households with utility expenses.
Eligible Singaporean households living in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats and whose members do not own more than one property, will receive 1.5 times the amount of regular GST Voucher (GSTV)-U-Save in the 2026 financial year.
If the flat is partially rented out or not rented out, there must be at least one Singaporean owner or occupier in the household to be eligible for U-Save. For flats that are entirely rented out, there must be at least one Singaporean tenant.
The GST Voucher-U-Save will cushion the impact of higher utility bills due to an increase in the carbon tax, the Ministry of Finance said.
In total, eligible HDB households will receive up to S$570 in U-Save rebates in the 2026 financial year.
This will cover about five months of utility expenses for those living in one- and two-room flats, and about two months of utility expenses for those living in three- or four-room flats.
The Budget 2026 U-Save and regular GSTV-U-Save will benefit more than 1 million Singaporean households.
Budget 2026 U-Save will be credited to eligible households' utilities accounts with SP Services together with the regular GSTV-U-Save in April 2026 and July 2026.
Mr Wong said that the government will continue to review and enhance the social support system across housing, education, healthcare and retirement, and for different groups of people.
“We will keep working at this, steadily and responsibly, so that Singapore remains an inclusive and united society, and a place that we are all proud to call home,” said the prime minister.
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