Parliamentary Replies

Parliamentary Question by Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling:

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether Workfare Special Payment 2020 can be considered for workers who hold multiple jobs with each job salary within $2,000; and (b) if so, can the same criteria be extended for eligibility of future Workfare Income Supplement.

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

The Workfare Income Supplement is intended to help supplement the incomes of Singaporean workers in the bottom 20%, with a smaller degree of support for those slightly above. During this challenging period, the one-off Workfare Special Payment is an additional support component provided to those receiving the Workfare Income Supplement for Work Years 2019 or 2020.

Given that Workfare and the Workfare Special Payment are intended for lower-wage workers with limited household resources, using the total income earned by the worker from all employment sources is a fairer way to assess their eligibility for the additional support, together with other criteria such as the Annual Value of residence and income of their spouse. 

We recognise that this is a difficult period for many Singaporeans. Many lower-wage workers would also have received higher Care and Support – Cash payments, and support under government schemes such as the GST Voucher scheme. Those who require further financial support may seek help through the MSF Social Service Offices.