Parliamentary Replies

Parliamentary Question by Mr Leon Perera:

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance out of the $5.9 billion in household transfers disbursed to Singapore residents in various COVID-19 support schemes (a) what is the percentage breakdown of the value of transfers by household income level of those who receive them; and (b) what is the average amount received by each household member in different household income level groups.

Parliamentary Reply by Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister for Finance, Mr Heng Swee Keat:

The $5.9 billion in household transfers comprises the Solidarity Payment, Solidarity Utilities Credit, and measures under the Care and Support Package such as the Care and Support – Cash, PAssion card top-up, Workfare Special Payment, additional GST Voucher – U-Save rebate, Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC) Rebate, Grocery Vouchers, and grants to self-help groups and Community Development Councils (CDCs).

Of the $5.9 billion, $0.2 billion are the additional grants to self-help groups and CDCs for them to use to help needy families and children during this pandemic. These grants are on top of the usual subvention provided to them by the government in our annual Budgets to support them in their work for the community. This $0.2 billion is an indirect transfer and is not included in the breakdown. 

Of the $5.7 billion in household transfers, 26% went to households in the bottom 20% (by per capita monthly household income), with an average of about $2,000 received per household member. Households in the middle 20% received 20% of the household transfers, with an average of about $1,500 received per household member. Households in the top 20% received 12% of the household transfers, with an average of about $900 received per household member.

These household transfers are over and above other additional measures to help Singaporean workers during this difficult period such as the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS), Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme (SIRS), COVID-19 Support Grant, and the extensive existing education, healthcare, and housing subsidies and structural household support measures like the GST Voucher scheme.